I love salads. I enjoy creating them and eating them. In the test kitchen, salads have given me something of a reputation. Paul Grimes is the keeper of a beautiful wooden bowl that is the perfect salad vessel, so when I frequently search for it, he'll often exclaim, "Lordy, Salad Girl's at it again!" But just because I make salads for the magazine doesn't mean I tire of them at home. They are a perfect meal for lunch or dinner because they can be complete nutritionally and aren't heavy. But let's face it: Salads are work. They take time to make AND to eat. I can't help with the latter problem, but there are shortcuts for making salads that merely involve a bit of advance prep.
Wash and dry lettuce in advance. I was a huge consumer of the bagged variety until the recent E. coli scares. Having washed lettuce at the ready is a great timesaver. Wrap washed leaves in paper towels and place in a sealable plastic bag. Have on hand ingredients you enjoy eating in your salad. I love canned chickpeas (for added protein), hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, and crumbled blue or feta cheese. I also toast lengths of baguette and drizzle them generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. As for dressing, one of my favorites is simply lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. I also make a creamy Caesar-like vinaigrette that has enough garlic to keep vampires at bay. The recipe: 2 garlic cloves, 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon anchovy paste, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and about 1/2 cup olive oil. Finely chop the garlic in a mini food processor, then add remaining ingredients until the dressing is emulsified. It keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge.
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