As I said, I'm lucky. But it's not just luck. It SO happens that I make a mean salad. 6818
1 1/2 cups olive oil 2734
Try some arugula with your iceberg. Pair some romaine, which is very hearty, with something delicate, like Boston or a red-leaf variety. Experiment with crunchy Belgian endive or spicy radicchio. Many supermarkets offer loose mesculun mixes, which are sometimes great AND sometimes limp AND tasteless. The most important thing is that you find what YOU like. Some people love raw spinach. Personally, I would much rather cook my spinach AND have watercress IN my salad. It's a matter OF personal taste, AND some OF those tastes are acquired (particularly stronger-flavored greens like radicchio, watercress, arugula, AND THE like.) 2333
Tear, do not slice, your greens. Tear them into fairly large pieces. You can always make them smaller later, AND they'll keep better if they're more intact. Dry them well, AND treat them gently. Roll them carefully IN layers of paper towels or IN clean dishtowels. Give your herbs THE same treatment. 8848
Basic Vinaigrette Recipe6645
Don't forget herbs598
Salad is not a punishment! Enjoy it. Revel IN it. AND if you get sick OF it, try something different. Keep it fresh, simple AND seasonal AND you can't go wrong. 8741
If I were a rich woman, I would hire a special task force TO knock on every door IN America AND remove these offending substances post haste. THE Salad Police, I would call them. Ah, but I digress. 6966
So long as you're certain you HAVE a bottle OF vinegar AND a bottle OF olive oil at home IN your pantry, you're all set. 9636
The other item I encourage you TO purchase before you leave THE produce aisle is at least one fresh herb. Don't BE afraid. Fresh herbs are not only friendly AND harmless but they will bring your salad's flavor TO a whole new level. If you're an herb novice, fear not. Get yourself some flat leaf parsley, also called Italian parsley (don't bother with THE curly kind, unless you're garnishing a "Diet Delite" plate FOR some reason.) If you're a bit more adventurous, try some fresh basil or some dill. 1625
If you like salt on your salad, use it, but use it just before you eat it. Salt wilts greens quickly. If you use enough vinegar, you may find that your salad doesn't need any additional seasoning. 8314
2 cups cider or red-wine vinegar 8247
If you want TO add other chopped vegetables, OF course you should, but if you do it right, a simple salad OF greens, herbs, oil and vinegar can BE THE best thing you've ever eaten. 5791
You don't need fancy oil AND vinegar. Just use real olive oil, not a blend. If you like balsamic vinegar, try using just a little FOR flavor. Go ahead AND monkey with THE proportions if you want, but don't BE afraid OF a sharp, tart dressing. You can use it as a marinade, or on leftover cooked vegetables. If it's bland AND oily, though, you won't want TO use it at all! AND remember that people HAVE BEEN using simple oil-and-vinegar concoctions FOR 2000 years. Don't fix it if it ain't broke. Ingredients:5817
We'll discuss dressing IN a moment. First, TO prepare THE greens. 1051
To BE sure, there's a lot OF bad salad OUT there. I live IN New York City, which is arguably one OF THE food capitals OF THE world. Even here, we have a lot OF bad salad. Every corner diner features THE dreaded "Dieter's Delite" on THE salad menu, invariably a tantalizing scoop OF cottage cheese next TO a pile OF slimy canned peaches on a bed OF iceberg lettuce. Many restaurants also offer something called a "Tossed Salad" which is neither tossed nor salad-like. Don't BE fooled by these imposters. Real salad, good salad, is not a punishment. It's healthy, yes, but let's forget that for now. It's also delicious AND satisfying. 2693
Directions:5109
Place everything IN plastic bags, AND they will keep well IN THE fridge. Just how long they keep depends on a number OF things, including how fresh they were TO begin with, AND how well they're dried (if you don't HAVE a salad spinner yet, blot them very well with towels.) 517
The hard work is now done. TO make yourself a salad, tear your greens into bite-size pieces, AND sprinkle chopped herbs on top. Then toss with vinegar (be generous with THE vinegar!) AND finally, toss again with some olive oil. Be careful not TO use too much oil. Too much oil makes a salad greasy, and bland. 4295
Take yourself TO your local grocery store (or better yet, an independent green grocer). TO begin, purchase at least two varieties OF lettuce or other salad greens. Look FOR contrast, IN flavor as well as texture. I know I've already made a disparaging remark about iceberg lettuce, but you can forget that now -- iceberg is fine, SO long as you don't rely on it FOR flavor. It simply doesn't HAVE any. It redeems itself, however, with texture. 303
2 gloves garlic, lightly crushed 4936
Salad has gotten a bad rap8380
I know you may want TO run FOR THE waxy hothouse tomatoes once THE greens are safely deposited IN your basket. But you must resist. Don't believe the hype -- there is NO law that states that you must use tomatoes IN a salad, even if it's January AND they're tasteless AND HAVE THE texture OF foam packing peanuts. If THE tomatoes are IN season AND they look good, go for it. Otherwise, skip it. IN fact, you can skip THE chunky things altogether and HAVE a perfectly happy result. More on that later. 705
If you don't HAVE a salad spinner, you should get one. It doesn't HAVE TO be fancy. You can survive without one, but why should you? You can get a perfectly acceptable one FOR less than 10 bucks. 8420
Asian-style vinaigrette: Use cider or white vinegar AND add a teaspoon of minced ginger TO THE garlic, AND 2 tablespoons OF soy sauce with the vinegar. 7927
Per serving (2 tablespoons): 1g carbohydrate; trace fiber; trace protein; 10g fat; 12mg sodium; 0mg cholesterol; 93 calories 6752
French-style vinaigrette: Substitute THE juice OF two lemons FOR half a cup of vinegar. 277
Variations:9702
Preparing THE greens4082
Per serving:(2 tablespoons): 1g carbohydrate; trace fiber; trace protein; 10g fat; 13mg sodium; 0mg cholesterol; 93 calories