Salad Ingredients - Selecting The Right Ones

For a person to be able to make the perfect salad it is important that they know as much as possible about the kinds of ingredients that can be used in them. Often a salad will combine a number of different foods all of which provide a certain taste or texture to the recipe but which also complement each other. In this article we take a look at some of the kinds of salad ingredients that you may want to consider using and which are used the world over.

1. Lettuce and Greens - Today you do not have to stick to the normal types of lettuce such as iceberg for producing the perfect salad instead why not try a few different alternatives. For example, you could use a butterhead lettuce, which comes with very tender leaves or a cos lettuce, which has a very coarse texture to it, but both will add a completely different texture dimension to the salad you are making. For those of you who are fed up or bored with lettuce in your salad there are plenty of other alternatives to choose from. You could try a plant that was originally grown in Italy known as Arugula and which will offer a much more tangy, mild peppery taste to the flavor of your salad. Otherwise another alternative to replace lettuce in your salad is a plant from Asia which has a slightly bitter taste but is often used in cooking by the Chinese called Bok Choy.

2. Fruit and Vegetables - Do not restrict yourself to using the more conventional types of fruits and vegetables that people often include in their salads. Rather than going for tomatoes why not try something a little more unusual say add in sliced up apple or oranges. Also for those who want to try a recipe that incorporates Bok Choy which we mentioned previously then slice some of it up place in a bowl and add to it some bean sprouts, sliced cucumber and green onions. Then to finally finish this salad off drizzle over a salad vinaigrette dressing made using soy sauce and sesame seed oil. As well as replacing your usual salad ingredients with more unusual and exotic ones such as brocolli, carrots, beans and Bok Choy you should also include a few herbs into the recipe as well. Adding the likes of rosemary, garlic, cilantro or basil will further enhance the flavors of the ingredients you are already using.

3. Meat and Fish - A salad does not need to be purely made up of fruit and vegetables but can also be used in combination with other ingredients as well. One famous that is world renowned and uses meat (chicken) as a main ingredient in it is Caesar's salad. But if you are looking to use such ingredients in your salad then ensure that you do not use too much and where meat is concerned you use the leanest pieces possible. If you are someone who does not like to use meat or fish in their salad recipes then why not replace these with cheese instead. But again it is essential that you do not use too much in it. Also to add texture to your salad if you are only using basic salad ingredients is through incorporating nuts or croutons into the recipe. The best types of nuts to use when preparing a salad are peanuts, walnuts or almonds. All give additional crunch and texture to what may otherwise be a very bland meal.

When you are out shopping for the right salad ingredients for your salad recipe make sure that you look closely at each one you are considering buying. If you see items which are marked, bruised or the leaves are beginning to wilt then avoid these and go for something different instead. Also it is important to thoroughly wash the ingredients before you use them to remove the chemicals used when they are being grown. You should also make sure you wash those ingredients for your salad which have come ready prepared and packed as they will contain chemicals and additives to help preserve them.