ISO Fresh veggie salad base-no ‘buggy’ veggies

amother

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 1:49 pm

I like to make a big fresh vegetable salad especially when we have a larger crowd. I used to do lettuce with various fresh veggies (& some fruit). Nothing very fancy but a big bowl. I find most people enjoy it & it’s a fairly easy extra side that doesn’t take much advanced prep. I serve dressing on the side so people can dress to their preference (one of my kids loves salad but won’t touch dressing).

For various reasons we are currently not using any vegetables that would need checking (not even the brands that don’t need to be checked), so I’m looking for something to ‘fill the bowl’. I really don’t see myself cutting up enough cucumbers & tomatoes (or other such veggies) to fill a large salad bowl. What can I use instead of lettuce?

Keep in mind:
*No lettuce of any type, no green cabbage (I can use red/purple cabbage but I find that too much of that in an undressed salad becomes hard to eat).
*I prefer a ‘fresh’ veggie but I’m open to other things as long as they are gluten free and not too ‘carby’.
*Not something that needs a lot of prep on yom tov. (If I wanted to spend forever, I would just cut more cucumbers).

Any ideas for me?

mha3484

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:01 pm

You can do a grain salad. Its filling, looks nice in a bowl. I like this one https://smittenkitchen.com/200.....alad/

A friend of mine used to make a quinoa beet salad that was really good. I think this is it but she left off the cheese https://www.allrecipes.com/rec.....alad/

These are just ideas you can change it for your needs.

Amarante

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:06 pm

Beet salads are very trendy - and delicious

What vegetables would you consider?

Also there are some vegetables that are delicious at room temperature. I love roasted string beans as a nosh for example.

I also make a delicious ratatouille type of side which I make well in advance.

Not quite what you are looking for but I love gazpacho and that is essentially salad in liquid form with some diced vegetables. Again, it is best made at least one day ahead to let the flavors marry.

amother

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:24 pm

Thanks!

I’m looking for more of a fresh veggie salad.

I do other cooked veggies and marinated type salads, I just like to put out one big fresh salad, too. Maybe I’m dreaming that I’ll find a solution. I might just have to either give up or get ready to chop lots of veggies that morning 🙁

mha3484

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:27 pm

Do you want to do single vegetable salad recipes? This is always popular https://www.feastingathome.com.....alad/

mha3484

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:31 pm

Ohh I forgot about this one I have not made it in a while but was very good https://smittenkitchen.com/200.....alad/

egam

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:32 pm

You can fill your bowl with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers of different colors, sliced radishes, grated carrots. All can be prepared in advance.
You don’t even need everything in one bowl. Make a salad bar and let everyone choose what they want in their salad. This way you can have shredded purple cabbage as well. If you do that, I would even add some fruits, like Asian pear sticks, sliced Granny Smith apples, halved grapes. And make a couple of different dressings for people to choose from based on the ingredients they take.
As mentioned already - grain salad are good. And you can use any roasted veggies in them - butternut squash, beets of different colors, peppers, eggplant, chickpeas.

SG18

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:34 pm

Amarante wrote:

How do you make your ratatouille?

bakingmom

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:34 pm

Blanched string beans.
Pour boiling water over the beans for 5 mins, then drain. It makes a nice crunchy salad green with no veg checking.

My favorite recipe using these beans is:
blanched string beans
halved grape tomatoes
dried mango (cut into small pieces)
caramelised slivered almonds (put slivered almonds in a put with some sugar and do something else whilst it caramelises. Keep checking and stirring, but dont stand over it or it feels like it takes forever)

mix honey and mustard, and use that as a dressing.

amother

Snowflake

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:36 pm

Marinated vegetable salad?

Zucchini
Peppers- all colors
Red onion
Snap or snow peas
Corn if that's something you like
Sliced olives

In a oil/vinegar kind of dressing.

ra_mom

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 3:18 pm

When you make a chopped vegetable salad without lettuce, you don't need to fill up the entire salad bowl. People don't take as much since it's more filling.

This fills up a bowl nicely and is colorful. Also easy to put together as the chickpeas don't need to be chopped, and you can buy precut baby corn. It's very delicious when seasoned well.

https://www.imamother.com/foru.....69594

Amarante

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 11:46 pm

SG18 wrote:

How do you make your ratatouille?

The recipe calls it Caponata but it is ratatouille as far as I am concerned and very delicious.

I often double the recipe because it is just as easy to prep a few more veggies once I am in the swing of things and it gets eaten so why not. 🤷‍♀️

After making it a lot these are my adjustments.

I put a plate with a can to weight it down when I salt the eggplant. This is in a colander in the sink and so all the bitter liquid is extracted. Don’t forget to wash the salt off as I once forgot. 😱😱

I don’t use nearly that amount of olive oil. Just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. If you saute in a heavy pan at a low heat, you don’t need much oil.

I add the pine nuts when I serve or else they get too soft.

The recipes suggests other uses but I have always just had it plain. I like having a container in the fridge because it is a wonderful nosh. There is a bit of prepping the veggies but since it is made in advance and keeps really well, I just chop the veggies when I have time and feel energetic. The actual cooking is just essentially dumping into the pan after the initial sauté

Caponata

Caponata is a flavorful, sweet-sour Sicilian cooked salad composed of eggplant, onions, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, olive oil and vinegar. It’s subject to as many variations as there are cooks who prepare it. Typically served as an antipasto, salad side dish or condiment relish, caponata is often made with olives, anchovies and capers, depending on the menu.

This version by my assistant Heather Behm—which includes zucchini and pine nuts—works well with simple roasted or grilled meats. It’s perfect as an omelet filling. Add anchovies, fresh basil and Parmesan for a pasta topping. Try it with olives and fresh basil in lasagna or as a simple casserole, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese, baked until browned and sizzling hot. Turn it into a dip, coarsely chopped in the food processor, served chilled with tortilla chips. With the addition of capers, it also makes a tasty garnish for grilled fish, poultry and veal.
Here’s

1 large eggplant, peeled, cut into ⅔-inch dice
Coarse salt
⅓ cup olive oil
2 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, cut into ½-inch dice
3 small stalks celery, cut into ½-inch dice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3 zucchini, cut into ⅔-inch dice
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ⅔-inch dice
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano - I use dried
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup toasted pine nuts, optional

Place the eggplant in a colander. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let rest for 30 minutes. Rinse well with cold water, shaking the colander to remove as much water as possible.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the rinsed eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, thyme, 1 tablespoon of salt, the basil and oregano. Cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and juice, vinegar and honey. Stir well. Simmer, uncovered, until the eggplant is just tender but keeps its shape and is not soft or mushy, about 5 to 7 minutes more. Taste; season to taste with pepper and salt. Stir in the pine nuts, if using.

Make Ahead:

This can be made up to four days ahead and refrigerated. Before serving, stir well and adjust the seasoning.