A compound salad is a versatile dish that can include a variety of cooked and raw vegetables, meat or fish, eggs, and more. The ingredients are arranged on a platter and lightly dressed with oil and vinegar or vinaigrette. It’s a healthy and creative way to showcase seasonal produce and can be an impressive dish for guests.
A compound salad offers something like a blank canvas to the cook. The list of possible ingredients is almost endless, making it ideal for showcasing the harvest in the garden or the market’s fresh seasonal produce. It is commonly served cold and may contain a mixture of cooked and raw vegetables, meat or fish, eggs, and anything else you like. Not only is the compound salad a change for the cook to explore creative arrangement, but it’s a lean meal packed with nutritious greens and healthy sources of protein.
The term “composed salad” comes from the French term salade composée. It is a term used for an assortment of cold vegetables, both raw and cooked. An example would be raw cucumber, cold steamed asparagus and cold boiled potatoes. You can add meat, fish or other protein sources, such as grilled salmon, cold shrimp, boiled eggs or sliced roast beef. The ingredients are arranged on a large platter and then lightly dressed with oil and vinegar or a vinaigrette dressing.
One benefit of serving a compound salad is the freedom to create. The cook can select a variety of ingredients with complementary or contrasting colors to create an eye-catching visual display. Cold red beets, dark green asparagus, creamy white roe, grilled pink salmon and a medley of colorful peppers are just some of the possible ingredients.
When preparing a meal for guests, an artfully composed salad can be an impressive sight. The cook can choose from a variety of different ingredients to create a balance of colour, flavour, shapes and sizes. Guests enjoy an artistic arrangement, but eating good food can be fun alone or just with family and close friends.
The compound salad offers the cook a palette on which to display seasonal vegetables from the local garden or market. Keeping the ingredients whole or sliced makes them recognizable in a composed salad, rather than all chopped up as in a traditional salad. Given the freedom of choice of ingredients, the cook can also choose to include seasonal fruit or seafood.
Consuming a plate of vegetables, lean meats and eggs is a healthy way to eat. Not only is a compound salad a chance to explore creativity, it’s also a way to serve a lean meal with plenty of nutrition. This healthy alternative to salad is also a quick way to serve a meal with ingredients on hand without a lot of cooking time.
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