When I’m cooking dinner (or writing a recipe), my default mode of topping off a meal with something fresh is simply “add green salad.” This works fine for him most of the year, but what about during the winter wreckage? now — What if you feel like the only greens available are bagged or blah or very lacking in the flavor department? Who decided you had to? Instead of defaulting to bibs, spinach, or romaine, what else can you toss with vinaigrette to give your plate a guaranteed bright hit? I asked three recipe developers (who I consider to be my “salad squad”) for their input.
Starting with: shaved fennel (Moreover)
How-to: “My new favorite salad base is shredded fennel,” he says. sasanality Newsletter and Upcoming Cookbook veggie forward“Fennel is long-lasting and always close at hand when I need it.” (Add a spoonful of yogurt to the Lemon Dijon here.)
to start with: cruciferous vegetables
How-to: Kay Chunthe recipe developer of NYT Cooking, her winter refrigerator is stocked with all members of the cruciferous family. “Green cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and baby bok choy are crunchy and great in salads and don’t need prep. She shreds them raw and very thin and adds a dressing. “It goes well with any dressing, whether it’s a mustard vinaigrette or something creamy.”
Starting with: beets and carrots
How-to: “I love grated raw beets,” says Spungen. “I often grate the big ones in my food processor and mix them with finely chopped lacinato kale.” It is recommended. If you want to be strictly defoliated, eat raw grated beets and raw carrots with a cumin-laced dressing, lots of fresh mint, currants or raisins. Hetty MacKinnonfuture author tender heart, I love the beet salad too, but I’d start with the roasted one. It has a distinct borscht vibe, but is presented in a more powerful way, which is important in winter. “
Introduction: Broccoli
How-to: My own go-to leafless salad is a version of what you see above. . Then chop the stalks into small pieces (stems and all), treat them the same way you would treat lettuce in a salad, and serve with chopped onions and pickled peppers and your favorite all-purpose vinaigrette or a drizzle of olive oil and red wine. Vinegar. McKinnon likes to use broccoli as a side salad base, as well as dinner he salads. She chars it in a grill pan, roasts it or air-fries it, then adds whatever she has on hand (beans, lentils, quinoa). “I often add proteins like tofu or tempeh to make it healthier,” she says. “I rely on her vegan mayonnaise mixed with garlic powder, capers, lemon and nutritional her yeast.”
Getting started: kohlrabi, radishes, celeriac, radishes
How-to: Spungen reminds us that mandolin It’s your best friend when it comes to hearty winter ingredients. “Even hard-to-eat vegetables like kohlrabi, radishes, celeriac, and watermelon radishes become supple when thinly sliced with paper.” I recommend topping it with nutty cheese shavings and almonds, such as aged gouda.
What’s your favorite leafless salad? Please share your recommendation…
PS Joanna’s sister’s killer salad picks, potato salad tricks, and 10 egg-topped dinners.
(top photo contributor Susan Spungen.)
