Salads can be unappealing if they lack variety. New, inspired ingredients which boost flavour and make them more exciting help make salads a winning and profitable category on your menu.
- For a Mediterranean touch roast peppers, aubergines and courgettes to give extra flavour boost and make more interesting.
- Toast seeds and nuts in a dry pan and sprinkle on to salads for added texture and flavour. Try toasting with a little ground cumin or coriander.
- Halve tomatoes width ways, place in a roasting tray, season herbs and spices, a little black pepper and some rosemary, then place in a low oven and roast for a couple of hours. The tomato flavour will intensify.
- Serve salads with hot ingredients tossed with the leaves. Use steamed or grilled meat or fish – this retains the flavour without adding high amounts fat, and keeps the colour vibrant.
- Roast chunky cut vegetables with spices then toss into a salad for an easy vegetarian option.
- Mix lots of chopped soft herbs together with some low-fat cottage cheese, part-skimmed milk mozzarella or ricotta and a small amount of mustard for a light filling for baked potatoes.
- For an Asian touch toss chicken strips with salad leaves and dress with low salt soy sauce, mirin and lime juice.
- Use rice noodles instead of pasta in salads – they add an interesting texture.
- Make an easy side dip with fat free Greek yoghurt or low fat mayonnaise, lemon juice, ground cumin and coriander.
- Serve couscous steamed with lemon juice and finished with lots of herbs (fresh and puréed) for added flavour.
During tough times, your guests are less willing to order salads. To justify spending they want added value and unique flavours that are difficult to make at home
Technomic US Research.
