Psychic Chef Network

"The key to a good salad is the lettuce. I have nothing against a good head of iceburg, personally. Provided you pick off all the slimy pieces and veer far, far away from the core. It's really including too much core - well and having frozen lettuce, there's never an excuse for frozen lettuce - that makes some of the institutional salads (you know the ones I'm talking about) taste horrid. Iceburg aside, I am not a fan of the mixed greens. They're a little too...hip. For a good, satisfying salad, go for Boston, green or red leaf salad. You get the crunch that you expect from a romaine without having to strip out so much rib. The only thing to be careful of is the sand - you need to give all your leaves a good washing to get out the grit. Unless of course you like that sound when you chew.

"Once you've got your lettuce washed and either ripped or chopped, and again, I don't see a difference in quality, taste or texture. Just do what's fastest for you. Then it's time to pile on toppings. Salad should not be about the lettuce. The lettuce is the plate. The important part is the stuff on top. Go for a combo of colors, textures, and tastes. For example, I'm going to layer some lighter shades of green on top of the lettuce first. We'll start with a cubanelle pepper. So much nicer than your typical bell pepper. Sweet, tangy taste with a good crisp crunch. Then some green onions sliced thinly over top. Then, to lighten a bit more, some palm heart pieces. And for a dash of color, diced hard salami and mixed pitted greek olives, chopped. You can add dressing if you want, but you really don't need it. I would stay with something light, like a balsamic vinegrette, with this many flavors chilling out together, you don't need to add a flavored dressing. Then as a final touch, sprinkle some slivered almonds over the top. Voila! Dinner is served. A hearty, healthy salad sure to satisfy."

Apparantly I am strange. This may not come as a surprise to any of you, but it did me. I happened to mention that whilst I cook, I often pretend that I have my own cooking show. It seems that this is not normal...and most people do not do this. So I wonder to myself, what do the rest of you think about when you're cooking? Anyway, this evening's show was on salads that rock...