Hearty winter salads like this Asian carrot quinoa salad deliver freshness, crunch and goodness.
As in many places in the country, we’re having a killer winter. (I mean that in the best sense of the word because I love snow and skiing.)
But the snow and cold doesn’t do much for locally grown produce. Even that protected within greenhouses (unheated) have succumb to weeks of single digits, like these beautiful bibb lettuces I was eating only a short while ago.
The fact of the matter is that the wintery season demands a whole new way of thinking about salads.
Like giving up on lettuce. Just for now.
I know. I sometime feel like a meal isn’t complete without some mouthfuls of tender, fresh greens.
Of course, there’s always kale, spinach and chard–all of which grow year round in gentler climates, like Portland where the farmers market was tweeting about them this week.
We're taking the day off, we'll return Jan 7 to @Portland_State. The winter harvest is so much more than kale. There's also chard. pic.twitter.com/j3GQhSzi8r
— portland farmers (@portlandfarmers) December 31, 2016
{Ah, yes, not only kale but chard, too! Quite the sales pitch, LOL–and the reality of the season.}
Winter salad principles
So, why not focus on all the other hearty vegetables just waiting for their turn? That sexy lettuce getting all the attention the rest of the year relegates them to the darkness of your vegetable bins.
Now’s the time to let them out into the fresh air and celebrate them!
Beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage (green, purple, savoy & napa), carrots, celery root, cauliflower, kohlrabi, parsnips, winter squash. Any one of these can be the base, the launching point and the inspiration for a winter-worthy salad–and only a few of them want for cooking.
Since we just got back from vacation, I looked to the 5-pound bag of organic carrots standing by in the fridge to salve my salad cravings this week. Overlooked except when it’s time to make carrot sticks or mirepoix for soup, carrots have so much more to offer.
Hello carrot salad!
And carrots don’t demand much more than peeling and grating. A standard box grater makes perfectly edible and still-crunchy strips for a grated carrot salad. I’m using this new tool I bought to make zoodles, a peeler that makes lovely long julienne strips.
Hearty up your winter salads
Once you have a main vegetable/launching place for your salad, there are so many directions to go to make it as fresh, crunchy and hearty as you dare with:
- cooked grains, such as rice, barley, bulgur or quinoa
- cooked beans, like white beans, black beans, lentils, or mung beans
- crumbled or sliced cheese like feta, goat or blue
- toasted nuts, like cashews, walnuts or these tamari almonds
- leftover cooked meats, such as shredded chicken or turkey, sliced steak, pork or lamb
- an egg: 7-minute, poached, fried or hard boiled
- don’t forget the fruit–citrus, apples, pears and pomegranate
For my carrot salad, I used some quinoa for bulk and texture, cashews and loads of cilantro and mint for the green I crave.
Here’s a roundup of 16 winter salads that put many of these principles into effect. I hope you’ll be inspired to invent your own hearty winter salad ideas inspired by what you have in your fridge, what you love and your mood.
{Then, snap a photo and show me what you made at #lynne_curry on Instagram or leave me a comment.}
What about the dressing?
Winter’s salads can take a beefier dressing, so think bold, creamy and even warm or spiced. Bacon vinaigrette, creamy Dijon and buttermilk green goddess all come to mind, for example.
For this carrot salad, I went heavy with the ginger, which is warming, plus a hit of red pepper flakes for even more heat. With seasoned rice vinegar plus a hit of fish sauce (vegans substitute soy or tamari), it hits all the right notes. Seconds, please!
Stay warm and well fed everyone!
Ginger Carrot Salad with Mint
This salad is an example of the principles of making hearty winter salads put into practice. It’s crunchy, fresh and enlivening. It’s great topped with cooked shredded chicken breast, too.
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce, soy sauce or tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- pinch red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
For the salad:
- 4 cups grated or julienne carrots
- 1 cup very thinly sliced purple cabbage
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup toasted cashews
- 1 lime, sliced (for garnish)
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To make the dressing, whisk the oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, fish sauce, salt and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until well blended.
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Toss the carrots, cabbage and quinoa in a mixing bowl with 2/3 of the dressing, reserving the rest to drizzle on the salads at the table. (You can prepare this step up to 1 hour in advance.)
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Just before serving, add the cilantro and mint and toss well. Taste for seasoning.
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Serve the salad topped with the coconut and cashews, garnished with a lime wedge and pass the extra dressing.
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