Darien Cooks | written by: ALYSSA KADOW, Owner, Greens on the Go, photo by: BAMBI RIEGEL | riegelpictureworks.com
A GREAT SALAD isn’t just lettuce with random vegetables on top, it’s a balance of flavors and textures working together.
Any time I create a new salad based on a vegetable or fruit that’s perfectly in season, the first question is what’s the contrast?
Sweet Meets Savory
A ripe piece of fruit, such as a fig, peach or mango, paired with something salty like feta or tangy like goat cheese creates instant depth. It pulls your palate in two directions at once, and that’s what makes a bite interesting.
The Crunch
Salads should be crunchy. Some ingredients are naturally soft, like avocado or roasted beets. I add toasted seeds, croutons or tortilla strips to bring the crispness back so every bite has texture and flavor.
We make our own croutons in-house using sourdough bread, cut, tossed in oil and salt, and roasted until super crispy. The sourdough adds a nice tang that plain bread just doesn’t have. For anyone who’s gluten-free, tortilla strips are a great swap , equally salty, crunchy and delicious.
Flavor Boosters
Acid is your secret weapon. I’m partial to lemon, which wakes up every other ingredient on the plate. It’s the difference between a mediocre salad and one that pops with flavor.
Fresh herbs are the exclamation point. Topping with basil, mint, or cilantro at the end gives a salad a final lift and hints of flavor.
In Season
Letting the season lead is everything. Some of my favorite combinations only happen for a few weeks a year, and that’s part of what makes them special. When peaches come into season, I build a salad around them with local tomatoes and fresh roasted corn. Avocado brings the creaminess, tangy pickled onion cuts the richness, roasted seeds add crunch, fresh basil adds depth and a lemon shallot dressing ties it all together with brightness.
The best salads, to me, aren’t built from a list of trendy health ingredients. They’re created the way you’d put together any great dish, with attention to how contrasting flavors complement each other.
Editor’s note: Looking for more inspiration? Stop by Greens on the Go at 23 Tokeneke Road and try any of their salads. They are as original, delicious and fresh as it gets.
