Off-Script Ovation Salad
This recipe is a new-and-improved take on the classic Garbage Salad. In an era in which we’ve learned to treasure and protect fresh ingredients, your end-of-week salad should look and taste like a grand finale… not garbage! This salad is a carefully curated composition of frequently leftover fresh ingredients—half a cucumber, few potatoes and carrots, fist-full of herbs (you get the idea)—prepared in their most delectable form. Lots of opportunity for “off-scripting” here—a.k.a. creative customization—so long as you include at least 1 ingredient from each category.
Your how-to guide for an 'anything and everything' fresh ingredient salad that deserves a standing ovation.
- both recommended, my picks in italics
- 3 oz. mild-tasting lettuce leaves like romaine, butter, looseleaf, oak leaf, or baby kale, chard or spinach, coarsely chopped or torn
- 1-2 oz. combination of more intense lettuces or herbs like arugula, radicchio, cress, basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, or mint, coarsely chopped or torn
- choose one, my pick in italics
- 2-3 c. roasted root vegetables like potatoes, parsnip, carrots, beets, or fennel (see TIP A)
- 2-3 c. grilled firm vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or summer squash (see TIP B)
- 1 c. cubed salami or rotisserie chicken
- choose one or two, my picks in italics
- 1 c. diced or sliced cucumber, celery, or sweet peppers
- 3/4 c. diced apple
- 3/4 c. broken pita chips or crackers
- 1/2 c. roasted nuts or seeds
- choose one or two, my picks in italics
- 1 c. cooked grains like rice, farro, quinoa, barley, bulgur, wheat berries, or freekeh
- 1/2 c. crumbled or small-cubed mild cheese like feta, goat, provolone, or havarti
- 1/2 c. steamed sweet corn, shelled edamame, or green peas
- 1/3 c. dried raisins, currants, berries, or cherries
- choose one or two, my picks in italics
- 1/3 c. thinly shaved spring onion or red onion
- 1/3 c. thinly shaved raw fennel or radishes
- 1/3 c. shredded or shaved aged hard cheese like Manchego, Parmesan, Gouda, or cheddar
- 3/4 c. Creamy Yogurt Citrus Vinaigrette (click here for recipe)
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If using roasted or grilled vegetables, prepare as indicated in TIP A or TIP B. If using cooked grains, then prepare according to package directions and spread across a large baking sheet once done (this will help them cool quickly without clumping).
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Meanwhile, combine your desired lettuces and herbs from the "Greens" section in a large mixing bowl.
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Follow the link to Creamy Yogurt Citrus Vinaigrette to prepare an easy and versatile homemade dressing.
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Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of the dressing over the "Greens" and toss to coat. Add your desired "Shavings" ingredients and briefly toss again. At this stage, you can transfer the salad to a clean serving bowl or continue on in the same bowl.
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Arrange your "Substance" ingredients around the perimeter of the serving bowl. Sprinkle the "Crunch" and "Crumble" Ingredients across the middle. Drizzle everything with 2 more tablespoons of salad dressing and serve the remaining dressing on the side. Dig in!
TIP A: For roasting hearty root vegetables, cut them into even-size chunks. Pile them on a baking sheet and coat in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Spread the vegetables in an even layer across the baking sheet with the cut side down. Roast them on the bottom rack of a pre-heated 425° oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden and caramelized on the bottom.
TIP B: For grilling firm vegetables, cut larger pieces into even-size wedges or slices. Coat them in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Grill over medium-high heat (500-600°) for a few minutes per side until lightly charred. Then chop into even-size chunks.