Salad Recipes
When I was a student studying culinary arts at the CIA, preparing Caesar salad and fambéed desserts were competencies we were tested on when we were studying in the school restaurants. Caesar salad is delicious for a variety of reasons... croutons fried or toasted with olive oil provides great texture and is delicious, Caesar salad dressing is an 'umami bomb' of flavor... savory and deeply satisfying notes from anchovies, Worcester sauce, aged parmesan cheese and rich, creamy mouthfeel from the fat from egg yolks.. absolutely delicious.
Arugula is spicy! It's one of my favorite lettuces to make salads with. I like adding toasted nuts, cheeses and sometimes fruits and berries to arugula for great salads. I prefer an emulsified vinaigrette with honey, olive oil, mustard, lemon & herbs... these days I use a little mayonnaise instead of raw egg yolk for the emulsion.
The best salads I've had in my life were at Le Bec Fin in Philly & Mustard's in California. It's all about properly preparing the tender, fresh salad greens & 'old school' French vinaigrette.
Like most Italian recipes, the most important thing is to be sure and use the freshest ingredients. If the green beans are fresh and tender, cooked properly and simply dressed, this simple dish is an absolutely amazing, refreshing salad. My mother loved serving this delicious salad of tender green beans, olive oil, vinegar & tons of fresh mint. She used to add a small amount of breadcrumbs to the dressing which helped the vinaigrette stick onto the green beans. A great childhood memory!
Summer vegetables deserve a simple hand... it's really about celebrating the vegetables when they are ripe and delicious! This salad recipe came together using a variety of vegetables at peak ripeness from my garden, with assorted heirloom tomatoes providing both visual appeal and exceptional flavor. I season them sparingly—kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a splash of red wine vinegar—nothing more is needed. Red onion, fresh basil, and a touch of hot pepper add depth, while freshly baked garlic croutons give the salad substance. The difference between a warm, ripe New Jersey tomato picked from the garden and one eaten out of season is impossible to ignore. In fact, I’ve never understood how chefs can serve Caprese salads or add tomatoes to sandwiches year-round using those dull, flavorless alternatives. When tomatoes are truly in season, they need no disguise—and when they aren’t, they simply don’t belong on the plate. .