Salad Days

I’m lucky in the respect I like the proverbial ‘diet’ food: Salad.

Whilst at primary school my request for a salad as opposed to the ‘chicken nuggets/chips’ caused such a ruckus in the staffroom that my parents were telephoned. Partly because of the memory of this salad has therefore always seemed a bit rock and roll, the forbidden food.

I like the colours/texture and formation of a salad on a plate, it looks like a small wilderness ready to be ransacked by my eager fork. But, I have one proviso- it has to be an ‘exciting’ salad. None of your limp lettuce leaves, squishy tomatoes etc. it has to zing in my mouth.

It is possible to roll a number of leaves together (cigar style) and taste the ghost of a dressing just by the leaves alone. Lettuce varies as much in size as it does flavour, therefore it is possible to get the component tastes of a French dressing by combining lemon/pepper/unctuous flavoured leaves together on one plate.  

My recent Amazon order has included a couple of salad books to inspire my palate, so excited to become inspired again. Caravaggio Caesar anyone?