Salmagundi is a dish that includes a variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, oils, and other condiments. It can also refer to a store that sells eclectic items. The dish has a French origin and can include pickled herring in the Caribbean version. Cooks should understand its historical uses to use it properly.
Salmagundi is an umbrella term for a wide variety of prepared salads and similar dishes that include many different items, such as meats or other proteins, cheeses, vegetables, oils, and other condiments. This may all seem very vague, and in the course of its usage, the word has been applied extensively to prepared foods. The common convention for salmagundi is to include all of these items on a large, flat plate and sprinkle the dressing or oils over the entire plate.
Some people attribute salmagundi to classic British society. The word is essentially French in origin and refers to a somewhat random array of items. Synonyms for this word include “hodge-podge” and “oil,” and all of these can refer to more than just a salad or food. For example, a salmagundi can also be a store or shop that sells many eclectic items.
Of the many types of meat included in this dish, chicken, beef, turkey, veal, and pork are all pretty common ingredients. Various cheeses can accompany these. Occasionally, fish products might be included in some versions of salmagundi, including sardines or anchovies, as well as smoked or pickled herring, which is a staple in some regions of the world.
In addition to the above, salmagundi can also include many plant elements, from lettuce, cucumbers and other green vegetables, to other items such as tomatoes and olives. Other proteins may also be included, such as boiled eggs or a variety of nuts. For example, almonds, peanuts, walnuts or other locally available nuts can be added on top of the other salad items.
Aside from the more varied types of dishes cooks may call salmagundis, a more distinct version of this dish is known in Caribbean areas as “Solomon Gundy.” This variant of the dish includes pickled herring. Cooks add peppers and onions, as well as other flavoring ingredients, to the fish.
When using this type of recipe as part of contemporary, international or eclectic cuisine, or in a particular culinary context, it is important that cooks understand its historical uses. There’s a good amount of flexibility in what constitutes this dish, but to use it properly, the cook should be able to find historical examples or the basis for an inspired version he or she creates. For a cook who can do it, salmagundi can be a very useful way to present many different foods in a very creative way.
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