Salad is a mixture of fresh and crunchy foods. There are two category of salads (vegetarian and non vegetarian), vegetarian salads includes vegetables and/or fruits, and non vegetarian salads include: meat, fish, and other ingredients such dressing, nuts or croutons, pasta, cheese, or whole grains. Salad is often served as an appetizer before a larger meal.

There is a difference between hors d’oeuvres and salad is that the hors d’oeuvres is an important course and it is always the first course. It is served in small quantities, and is a light appetizing, colorful and stimulating dish. Salad can be served as the first course, in small quantities; it can also be served as a salad course or as an accompaniment with the entrée or roast course. Salads may be served in substantial quantity. Freshness and stimulating flavors are desired in salad.

In some foods, flavors have to be developed with marinades, spices and herbs. Salad should be cold, crisp, piquant, colorful, well seasoned and attractive. They supply nutrients to the dish, specially when they are made of fresh fruits and vegetables. The preparation involves working with foods that possess highly perishable qualities in ways that may readily result in contamination.

The other ways of serving salads are:

1. As a main dish
2. Salad course
3. Salad as accompaniment

TYPES OF SALAD

1. SIMPLE SALAD: Simple salad is a salad that include a single ingredient and the name is given after it such as chicory (wild chicory with mustard dressing), celery (chopped celery with vinaigrette dressing), cabbage ( juliennes of cabbage with vinaigrette or mustard dressing), cucumber (roundels of cucumber with vinaigrette dressing), lettuce (lettuce/salad leaves with vinaigrette dressing).
2. COMPOUND SALAD: They are more elaborate salad and consist of more than one ingredient. They are divided into four groups:

• Fish based: Parisienne, belle de nuit, hollandaise etc.
• Vegetable based: Tossed salad, cole slaw, Aida etc.
• Poulty, game or meat base: Carmen, hongroise, chatelaine etc.
• Fruit based: eve, dalila, waldorf, etc.

PARTS OF SALAD:

1. BASE: The underline is usually leafy vegetables such as lettuce/salad leave of different kind such as romaine or cos, watercress, cabbage etc. The tossed salad do not have an underline, they are served in bowl.
2. BODY: This is the most important part of salad. The salad is known by the ingredients used for the body. This part gets the most attention and its appearance is to enhance by the decoration.
3. GARNISH: The main purpose of garnish is to add an eye appeal to the product but in some cases it improves the taste and form. It may be a part of the body or it can be an additional item that will blend and complement. If the garnish is simple, it will attract and distract.
4. DRESSING: A dressing is usually served with all types of salads, it adds flavor, provide food value, helps in digestion, and improves palatability and appearance. Dressing is a liquid or semi liquid mixture of oil and/or vinegar, seasoning or eggs or cream etc.

DRESSINGS:

The basic dressing are:

1. Mayonnaise: it is also known as a basic cold mother sauce and has numerous derivatives. It is used for cold dishes, the coating of fish, meat, eggs etc.
2. Lemon dressing: it is same as vinaigrette using lemon juice instead of vinegar.
3. Acidulated cream: 3 parts thin cream and 1 part vinegar or lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Vinaigrette: it is of three types: French, English and American. The ratio of ingredients varies in all three dressings.

    

• French dressing: 3 parts of oil and 1 part of vinegar and French mustard and seasoning.
• English dressing: 1 part of oil and 2 part of vinegar and mustard powder and seasoning
• American dressing: equal quantity of oil and vinegar, seasoning and sugar.