A FRENCH SALAD

My friend John DeLancie, better known as “Q” on Star Trek, has a French Mother. So he must know about salads, right. And of course, he serves them after the main course. A mound of fresh and barely torn lettuce leaves (butter lettuce or Boston bibb) arrive in a big wooden bowl. They have been sprinkled lightly with some good olive oil and a great vinegar plus salt and pepper.

What makes this course so special, is that it is accompanied by crusty baguettes and a selection of wonderful cheeses. Plus another bottle of wine. Very French, he insists!

MY VINEGRETTE

Everybody has one. And once you have made it a couple of times, you don’t have to measure anything, and the recipe can vary every time depending on what ingredients are available. I also like to make it in the salad bowl and add the salad later (which

I have prepared and kept chilled in the refrigerator.)

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup vinegar (get a fancy Balsamic if you want, but I also love good old apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup olive oil (or a combination of vegetable and olive oil)
2 tsps. mustard (I’m talking a good French one here, not the hot dog stuff)
2 cloves of garlic pushed through a garlic press. (Or you can toss everything into a blender and whizz away till your hearts content) I usually add more garlic, but then I personally have never experienced “too much garlic!”
Salt and Pepper (do I have to mention this?)
1 tsp. fresh or even1/2 tsp. dried Tarragon. But you can experiment with whatever herb you have in the garden or at hand. But if you are using it in some other part of the menu don’t include it in the salad. “Too much of a good thing.”
A dash of Tabasco gives the dressing some zip.

PROCEDURE

Mix together. (Duh?)

A NOTE ON SALADS

A salad is a light, mouth-refreshing event.

My idea of a horrible salad is great wedges of iceberg lettuce with hunks of tomato and carrots, bottled dressing on the side, served in a bowl so tiny you can’t toss it without getting stuff all over the table.

If you can’t live without tomatoes in your salad: spoon out the seeds and the watery insides leaving the outer edges which can be sliced thinly.

Wash and dry the lettuce leaves,( a spinner is a good purchase)

Make the lettuce pieces bite-sized so the salad doesn’t have to be cut with a knife.

Carrots slices are too crunchy and are best shaved in grater.

Sliced green onions, sliced radishes, strips of red or green pepper, even snow peas or fresh kernels of corn can be colourful and charming additions.

Fruit such as apple slices marinated in lemon juice, or orange sections, or papaya & mango slices, and of course avocado are interesting as well.

Shaved fresh Parmesan cheese is wonderful served on top. (not with the fruit additions)

Keep it simple!