French salads use plenty of fresh ingredients.
Salads never need be boring mélanges of iceberg lettuce, tomato and ranch dressing. If you are looking for inspiration, look at how different cultures prepare salads. French cuisine is a good place to start, as the French seldom go wrong when it comes to the finer points of dining and taste. You'll feel like a world-class chef as you prep the diverse fresh ingredients that go into making French salads.
Fresh Fig Salad
A French salad containing fresh figs could not be easier to make. It has only a few ingredients---some of which you probably already have on hand. Figs, baby greens and goat cheese make up the bulk of the salad, which is garnished with walnuts. The dressing is a simple vinaigrette, with walnut oil replacing a bit of the olive oil for those who prefer a nuttier taste. The presentation is elegant, as the few ingredients make the figs the centerpiece of the salad.
Salade niçoise
Salade niçoise will take center stage at dinnertime, as it is hardy enough to serve as the main course. A bed of Cos lettuce makes the perfect bed for lusciously ripe tomatoes, sliced hard-boiled eggs and parboiled green beans. It is garnished with artichoke hearts, anchovies and black olives, which give it a zesty, satisfying flavor. The dressing is an oil and red-wine vinaigrette with a bit of garlic and Dijon mustard mixed in to give it a bit of kick. Anchovies are optional.
Green Salad with Apples and Camembert
"Apples are one of the culinary symbols of Normandy, and Camembert cheese is one of its great man-made products," according to Epicurious. These two flavors combine beautifully in a simple apple and green salad that's served with Camembert cheese on rounds of toast. Apple cider and walnut oil vinaigrette tops it off beautifully.
French Potato Salad
Add a touch of class to that bag of red potatoes you bought by turning them into French potato salad. French potato salad is easy to make, and all of the ingredients, except for the potatoes, can be prepared a day ahead of time. Whisking together the olive oil, white wine, chicken broth, white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard that form the bulk of the dressing requires a few minutes at most. A few green onions and capers can be added for texture. After the potatoes are boiled, they are tossed with the dressing, and the salad is ready.
Tags: Camembert cheese, Dijon mustard, French potato, French potato salad, French salads, fresh ingredients, garnished with
