Good tasting salad, yeah I know but it can be done

As it turns out it was brought to my attention recently that there is an entire food group devoted to something other than meat and baked goods.  I could not fathom it at first. I mean vegetables, how will you get them on a bun.  But then I was told this is where the wonderful nectar we call ketchup comes from.  All kidding aside, vegetables’ get a bad rap because they are quite often served as an afterthought.  Years ago they were the star of the dinner and sometimes the family got meat too. Now we get a plate of meat (very tasty) and sometimes some vegetables.  Well I am hoping to change some of that at least for us.  The first culprit to attack is the salad.  I never, and I mean never order a salad when I am out to eat.  I have worked in restaurants and I know the quality of the salad you are getting for your 7 bucks; enough said.  But there is a lot to be learned from how proper preparation of the salad affects the taste and the presentation.  A salad should include a variety of vegetables not just lettuce and tomatoes.  Vegetables keep fairly well if you do not cut them up. So keep a variety in your fridge.  When you are chopping up your vegetables think about the size you want when you are eating. Do you really want to stick your fork into a half of a tomato or whole radish?  When I do salad I always chop the vegetables small. I chop the carrots and radishes into match sticks.  Ok, pressed for time? Use Mr. food processor.  I chop the onion in to small squares .  The tomato depends on how solid the middle is but I chop it small so it can be mixed throughout the salad.

So for a general salad I would use

2 carrots

4 or 5 radishes

1 onion

1 tomato

1 handful of lettuce

½ bunch or broccoli

¼ lbs. of cheddar cheese chunked small

 Now that your vegetables’ are the right size you need to dress your salad.  Today I am going share the ancient secret of vinaigrette.  Are you ready;  1 to 3.  1 part vinegar, 3 parts oil.  Now if you put it together right it will last a long time. if not you will have to shake when you use it, big deal.  So here is how you put it together right.

Take your vinegar put it in a bowl you can whisk easily or a blender

Add some mayo (for a tablespoon of vinegar- maybe ¼ teaspoon )

Measurements will very depending on how big of a batch you are making and they are not critical.

Add some mustard (same as mayo)

Now you ask what type on vinaigrette you want.  If you want basil vinaigrette add basil, dill add dill. Raspberry add raspberry, you get it.

Mix with a whisk then slowly pour in the oil while mixing.  Very slow.  If it starts to pool stop and mix it all in. once the oil is mixed in you are done, less them 5 minutes and you have fresh dressing.

Hey send me your favorite vinaigrette recipe