All American Salad

This is the f1rst part of our worldwide salad collection. These salad recipes are all American based, tried and tested over the years. Our collections of European based salad will be available shortly. You will find our introductory article about salad here:Salad from Around the World

PRAWN & COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD IN CAPSICUM CUPS

350 g (12 oz) cottage cheese
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh dill
175 g (6 oz) cooked, peeled prawns
100g (4 oz) seedless green grapes
1 large shallot
Salt and ground black pepper
1 medium red pepper
1 medium green pepper
100 g (4 oz) crisp lettuce leaves
1/2 quantity Classic French Dressing
4 small cooked prawns in the shell and dill sprigs, to garnish

Place the cottage cheese, dill and prawns in a mixing bowl. Wash and halve the grapes and chop the shallot finely. Add the grapes and shallot to the bowl and season the mixture well. Mix gently to combine.

Halve the peppers lengthways, keeping the stalks intact. Remove the cores and seeds and discard. Toss the washed and dried lettuce leaves in the dressing and divide between four plates. Spoon one quarter of the cottage cheese and prawn mixture into each pepper half. Place a filled pepper on each plate with the lettuce. Garnish each serving with a whole prawn and dill sprigs and serve at once. SERVES 4

COBB SALAD

This salad has been made with blue Brie instead of Roquefort for a unique variation on an old favourite. You may of course, prefer to substitute Roquefort or another blue cheese for the Brie in the recipe.

4 hard-boiled eggs
225 g (8 oz) blue Brie cheese
225 g (8 oz) cooked, skinless, boneless chicken breast
12 rashers smoked streaky bacon
6 tomatoes
12 stuffed green olives
12 stoned black olives
350 g (12 oz) iceberg lettuce, shredded
Blue Cheese Dressing, made with blue Brie

Shell and slice the hard-boiled eggs. Slice the blue Brie into long thin slices. Cut the chicken into thin strips. Cook the bacon under a preheated hot grill for about10 minutes, turning halfway through, until it is crispy. Allow to cool, then snip into bite-sized pieces.

Cut the tomatoes into quarters, remove the seeds and chop the flesh roughly. Halve the olives.
Divide the shredded lettuce between four plates. Arrange the prepared ingredients in rows on top of
the lettuce. Spoon one-quarter of the dressing on to each salad and serve immediately.
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

CAESAR SALAD

2 large slices, day-old white bread
120 ml (8 tbsp) olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Cos lettuce
8 anchovy fillets
50 g (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

DRESSING
1 large egg
1 clove garlic, crushed
5 ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
150 ml (1/4 pint) extra virgin olive oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) white wine vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper

Prepare the croutons. Remove crusts from the bread and discard. Cut the bread into small cubes. Heat half the oil and garlic in a frying pan, add half the cubed bread and fry over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining oil, garlic and bread.

Wash and dry the Cos lettuce and tear into 5-cm (2-inch) pieces. Place in a large serving bowl. Drain and rinse the anchovies and snip finely. Add to the lettuce with half the Parmesan.

Make the dressing. Place the egg in a food processor with the garlic and mustard. With the motor running, pour the oil on the egg in a thin steady stream until a thick emulsion is produced. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and blend again briefly.

To serve, pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmesan and scatter over the croutons. Serve at once. SERVES 4

Variation: Chopped crisply cooked bacon can be added to this salad for a tasty alternative.

WESTERN SALAD

2 large slices, day-old white bread
Corn oil for deep-frying
1 Cos lettuce
25 g (1 oz) rocket leaves
175 g (6 oz) blue cheese, such as Stilton, cubed
25 g (1 oz) Parmesan cheese, grated
30 ml (2 tbsp) snipped fresh chives

DRESSING

1 egg
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150 ml (1/4 pint) corn oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper

Prepare the croutons. Remove crusts from the bread and discard. Cut the bread into small cubes. Heat the oil for deep-frying. When it is hot enough (a cube of bread dropped into the oil sizzles at the surface), fry the bread in batches for about 30 seconds until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

Make the dressing. Cook the egg in boiling water for 2 minutes to lightly soft boil it. Then spoon the soft egg into a food processor and add the garlic. With the motor running, pour the oil on to the egg in a steady stream to produce a creamy dressing. Add the lemon juice and seasoning and blend again briefly.

Wash and dry the Cos lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Place in a salad bowl with the washed
rocket. Add the cubed blue cheese and Parmesan. To serve, pour over the dressing and toss gently.
Scatter over the croutons and snipped chives and serve at once. SERVES 4

WALDORF SALAD

250 g (9 oz) fennel
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
2 red apples
100 g (4 oz) red lettuce leaves, such as oak leaf or lollo rosso
50 g (2 oz) walnut pieces, toasted
50 g (2 oz) raisins
Fennel fronds, to garnish

DRESSING

90 ml (6 tbsp) mayonnaise
30 ml (2 tbsp) walnut oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper

Reserve the fennel fronds and slice the fennel bulb thinly. Place in a bowl with the lemon juice, tossing gently to coat. Quarter and core the apples and slice them. Add the apples to the bowl with the fennel and toss to coat with lemon juice.

Wash and dry the lettuce. Line a shallow serving dish with the leaves. Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to combine. just before serving, drain the fennel and apple and add to the bowl of dressing along with the walnuts and raisins. Toss to combine and spoon the salad on to the
bed of lettuce. Garnish with the fennel fronds and serve at once. SERVES 4-6

SWEDISH SALAD

175 g (6 oz) celery
225 g (8 oz) cooked beetroot
2 Cox’s apples
50 g (2 oz) walnut halves, toasted
100 g (4 oz) radicchio leaves
DRESSING
90 ml (6 tbsp) mayonnaise
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
30 ml (2 tbsp) soured cream
Salt and ground black pepper

Slice the celery thinly on the diagonal. Cut the beetroot into wedges. Peel and core the apples and slice them. Place the celery, beetroot and apple in a large bowl. Reserve a few walnuts for garnish and add the rest to the bowl.

Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the prepared ingredients. Toss well to mix and set aside. Wash and dry the radicchio leaves and tear them in
half. Line a salad bowl with the leaves and spoon the tossed salad into the centre. Garnish with the reserved walnuts and serve at once. SERVES 4-6

FLORIDA PRAWN SALAD

20 cooked king prawns in the shell
4 pink grapefruit
450-g (1-lb) piece Galia melon
225 g (8 oz) iceberg lettuce
20 ml (4 tsp) fresh chervil leaves

DRESSING

90 ml (6 tbsp) grapeseed oil
90 ml (6 tbsp) mayonnaise
30 ml (2 tbsp) champagne vinegar
45 ml (3 tbsp) water
1 shallot, finely chopped
15 ml (1 tbsp) crushed dried pink peppercorns
Salt and ground black pepper

Peel 12 of the prawns and halve each prawn lengthways. Keep 8 prawns whole, for garnishing. Peel the grapefruit and cut in between the membranes to produce segments. Using a melon baller, scoop balls from the melon flesh. Wash and dry the lettuce and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and whisk together to combine.

To assemble the salads, divide the lettuce between four plates. Arrange the prepared prawns, grapefruit segments and melon balls on the plates, spoon the dressing over the four salads and scatter over the chervil leaves. Garnish each plate with 2 whole prawns and serve at once. SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

CHEF’S SALAD

30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
350 g (I2 oz) raw, skinless, boneless pieces turkey breast
Salt and ground black pepper
100 g (4 oz) honey-roast or smoked ham
225 g (8 oz) Gruyére or Emmental cheese
4 small tomatoes
4 hard-boiled eggs
350 g (12 oz) iceberg lettuce
Thousand Island Dressing
Parsley sprigs, to garnish

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Season the pieces of turkey breast with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook over a high heat for I0 minutes, turning occasionally, until the turkey is golden on the outside and cooked through. Remove and set aside to cool.

Slice the ham into long strips. Using a swivel vegetable peeler, slice the cheese very thinly. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and shell and slice the eggs. Shred the lettuce finely. When the turkey has cooled, slice it into neat pieces. Assemble the salads. Divide the shredded lettuce between four large plates. Arrange equal amounts of turkey, ham, cheese, tomato and egg on each plate. Spoon a little dressing into the centre of each salad and garnish with parsley. Serve at once, passing extra dressing separately. SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

SWEET POTATO SALAD

900 g (2 lb) sweet potatoes
225 g (8 oz) carrots
1 green pepper
60 ml (4 tbsp) torn coriander leaves
Salt and ground black pepper

BUTTERMILK HERB DRESSING

90 ml (6 tbsp) buttermilk
60 ml (4 tbsp) mayonnaise
I5 ml (I tbsp) finely chopped fresh coriander
I5 ml (I tbsp) snipped fresh chives
Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to |80°C (350°F, Gas mark 4). Bake the sweet potatoes for about 40 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. When cool, peel off the skin and cut flesh into large dice. Peel the carrots and slice them thickly. Blanch in boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and refresh in cold water. Halve the pepper, remove the core and seeds, and dice the flesh.

Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Place the sweet potato, carrot, pepper and torn coriander in a bowl, season well and pour over the dressing. Toss gently to combine. Refrigerate the salad for 2 hours before serving to allow the flavours to develop. SERVES 4-6

GERMAN HOT POTATO SALAD

450 g (1 lb) waxy potatoes
30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
225 g (8 oz) smoked back bacon, rinds removed and diced
1 small red onion
20 ml (4 tsp) chopped fresh sage

DRESSING

90 ml (6 tbsp) mayonnaise
30 ml (2 tbsp) milk
30 ml (2 tbsp) soured cream
10 ml (2 tsp) coarse-grain mustard
Salt and ground black pepper

Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside. Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for about 8 minutes until tender. Drain and keep warm. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon for 8-9 minutes until crisp. Keep warm. Dice the onion finely. Place the onion, hot potatoes and bacon in a mixing bowl with the sage. Pour over the dressing, toss well and serve the salad warm.
SERVES 4

CHICKEN, GRAPE & HAZELNUT SALAD

450 g (1 lb) cooked chicken breasts
225 g (8 oz) black grapes
60 ml (4 tbsp) skinless hazelnuts, toasted
Salt and ground black pepper
225 g (8 oz) watercress
Fresh tarragon leaves, to garnish

DRESSING

2 spring onions
90 ml (6 tbsp) mayonnaise
60 ml (4 tbsp) cream cheese
90 ml (6 tbsp) water
Salt and ground black pepper

Remove the skin from the cooked chicken and discard. Cut the meat into bite-sized chunks and place in a large mixing bowl. Wash the grapes, halve them and remove the pips. Add the grapes to the chicken along with the toasted hazelnuts. Season with salt and pepper and mix gently to combine.

Prepare the dressing. Chop the spring onions finely and place in a bowl. Add the remaining dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour the creamy dressing over the chicken and toss gently to coat. Discard the tough stalks from the watercress. Wash and dry the watercress. To serve, arrange a bed of watercress on a platter and spoon the chicken mixture into the centre. Garnish with tarragon and serve at once. SERVES 4

ASPARAGUS & EGG SALAD

450 g (1 lb) fresh asparagus stalks
4 hard-boiled eggs
225 g (8 oz) sliced pastrami

BUTTERMILK DRESSING

60 ml (4 tbsp) buttermilk
60 ml (4 tbsp) olive oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) white wine vinegar
I0 ml (2 tsp) coarse-grain mustard
Salt and ground black pepper

Cut the tough ends off the asparagus stalks and, using a potato peeler, peel the green skin from the asparagus stalks, stopping just below the tips. Blanch the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Drain and refresh in cold water.

Shell the eggs and slice each egg into 4-6 wedges. Place the ingredients for the Buttermilk Dressing in a bowl and whisk to combine. To serve, arrange the asparagus, egg wedges and sliced pastrami on four serving plates. Drizzle some dressing over each portion and serve at once. SERVES 4

LOBSTER & AVDCADO SALAD

2 small boiled lobsters
8 asparagus stalks, preferably white
1 large, ripe avocado
20 ml (4 tsp) lemon juice
100 g (4 oz) mixed lettuce leaves
Tarragon sprigs, to garnish

DRESSING

30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
60 ml (4 tbsp) sunflower oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) tarragon vinegar
10 ml (2 tsp) finely chopped shallot
20 ml (4 tsp) chopped fresh tarragon
10 ml (2 tsp) Dijon mustard
5 ml (I tsp) sugar
Salt and ground black pepper

Prepare the lobsters. Twist off the claws and crack them. Either leave the claws ready for eating or remove the flesh. For each lobster, gently separate the tail from the head and body. With sharp scissors cut down the length of the underside of the tail. Bend apart so the meat becomes free and remove the vein. Remove the flesh and slice into thick discs.

Cut the tough ends from the asparagus and slice each stalk in half lengthways. Blanch in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Peel the avocado, halve and slice the flesh thickly; then place in a bowl with the lemon juice.

Wash and dry the lettuce. Place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. To assemble, toss the lettuce with half the dressing and divide between two plates. Arrange the lobster,
asparagus and avocado on each bed of lettuce. Spoon the remaining dressing over the salads, garnish with tarragon and serve at once. SERVES 2 ASA MAIN COURSE

CRAB LOUIS SALAD

350 g (12 oz) fresh crabmeat
1 onion
100 g (4 oz) celery
12 stuffed olives
Salt and ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
100 g (4 oz) iceberg lettuce
Celery leaves, to garnish

DRESSING

60 ml (4 tbsp) mayonnaise
60 ml (4 tbsp) cream, very lightly whipped
60 ml (4 tbsp) chilli sauce —
1 small green chilli, seeded and chopped
60 ml (4 tbsp) fresh chervil leaves
Salt and ground black pepper

Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Refrigerate while preparing the salad to allow the flavours to develop. Flake the crabmeat and place in a mixing bowl. Peel the onion and grate coarsely. Wash the celery and slice thinly on the diagonal. Halve the olives. Add the ingredients to the crabmeat and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Add the dressing and toss well. Wash and dry the lettuce. Divide the lettuce between four plates and spoon one-quarter of the crab salad on to each plate. Garnish with celery leaves and serve at once. SERVES 4

WILD RICE SALAD WITH SCALLOPS

225 g (8 oz) mixed long-grain and wild rice
2 spring onions
2 large carrots
1/2 red pepper
1/2 orange pepper
30 ml (2 tbsp) pumpkin seeds
450 g (1 lb) large scallops with corals
45 ml (3 tbsp) vegetable oil

DRESSING

Grated zest of 1 lime
60 ml (4 tbsp) lime juice
90 ml (6 tbsp) sunflower oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
20 ml (4 tsp) chopped fresh flat -leaved parsley
Pinch of sugar
Salt and ground black pepper

Cook the rice in boiling, salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and refresh in cold water. Set aside. Slice the spring onions into long, thin strips. Peel the carrots and, using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots into long ribbons. Blanch the carrot ribbons in boiling, salted water for about I minute. Drain and refresh in cold water.
Remove the cores from the peppers and dice the flesh finely. Toast the pumpkin seeds under a hot grill for 2 minutes until pale golden. Remove the seeds and allow to cool. Separate the scallop corals from the whites. Cut each scallop white into quarters and halve the corals. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and sauté the whites, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Remove the scallops from the pan. Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the corals for 3 minutes. Remove the corals
from the pan.

Place the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-topped jar and shake well to mix. Pour half the dressing over the rice and toss gently to coat. Place the rice in a serving dish. Mix together the remaining ingredients, except the pumpkin seeds, and pour over the remaining dressing. Toss gently and spoon over the rice. Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and serve at once. SERVES 4-6

BLACK-EYED SUSAN SALAD

4 grapefruit
4 dates
40 g (1 ½ oz) pecan nuts
175 g (6 oz) mixed lettuce leaves, to include rocket,
Cos and lamb‘s lettuce
Classic French Dressing

Using a sharp knife, peel the skin and white pith from the grapefruit and cut between the membranes to produce segments. Remove the stones from the dates and slice the flesh into long segments. Cut the pecan nuts length-ways into quarters. Wash and dry the lettuce and tear large leaves into bite-sized pieces. To serve, toss the lettuce with half the dressing and divide between four plates. Arrange the grapefruit in a spoke-like pattern over the lettuce and arrange the
dates and pecan nuts in the centre. Spoon the remaining dressing over the salads and serve at once.
SERVES 4

CLASSIC COLESLAW

225 g (8 oz) white cabbage
175 g (6 oz) carrots
3 sticks celery
2 small shallots, peeled
45 ml (3 tbsp) snipped fresh chives

DRESSING

90 ml (6 tbsp) mayonnaise
45 ml (3 tbsp) soured cream
15 ml (I tbsp) white wine vinegar
15 ml (I tbsp) water
2.5 ml (% tsp) sugar
Salt and ground black pepper

Shred the cabbage finely. Peel the carrots and grate them coarsely. Slice the celery thinly and chop the shallots very finely. Place in a large bowl and add the snipped chives. Place the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk well to combine. Pour over the vegetables and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavours to develop. SERVES 6

FRUIT & NUT SLAW

100 g (4 oz) red cabbage
100 g (4 oz) white cabbage
4 spring onions
1 carrot
2 red apples
100 g (4 oz) Brazil nuts, halved
60 ml (4 tbsp) raisins
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

DRESSING

150 ml (10 tbsp) mayonnaise
30 ml (2 tbsp) water
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) sugar
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
Salt and ground black pepper

Shred the two cabbages finely. Slice the spring onions thinly, and peel and shred the carrot. Quarter and core the apples and slice them thinly. Place the prepared vegetables and fruit in a bowl with the nuts and raisins. Place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to combine. Pour the dressing over the prepared ingredients in the bowl and toss well to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavours to develop. Serve garnished with chopped parsley. SERVES 6
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