Salad as a Meal is more than just a cookbook about salads. Patricia defines salads as light meals that may or may not incorporate what we think of as salad: lettuce and a few veggies drenched in dressing. Her salads include breads, soups, and appetizers. Something light to share for dinner with a glass of wine or iced tea.
Some of her recipes are pretty extravagant for the average cook, but the beauty of them is that if you're looking to entertain, or just wow your family, she's got some great recipes to do just that. Looking for a vegetarian salad? Try a Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Parsley, and Spring Onions.
Looking for something to pair with a salad? Patricia has some amazing soups--Chilled Pea, Mint, and Buttermilk Soup. This one I will certainly try, along with a Chilled Yogurt, Herb, and Jalapeno Soup. They sound so lovely, and I can imagine myself sitting on my patio, under my umbrella, enjoying a chilled soup and a Cobb Salad on a sunny summer day. I plan on introducing Bud to these recipes during the summer.
Patricia leans heavily on French influences for her recipes, and that's just fine with me. She uses fresh from the garden or the farmer's market vegetables, herbs, and breads, and also includes recipes for homemade dressings, which I prefer over the bottled stuff. Creamy Lemon-Chive dressing, or a Buttermilk-Lemon Zest Dressing are just calling out to me!
And can I say the photos in this cookbook are just simply stunning? Yep. But you don't have to find your passport or pack your bags to enjoy these recipes. I am excited to try some of these recipes and experiment with my own salad ideas. I may have to have C-Joy be my guinea pig. Somehow, I don't think she'll mind sitting outside on a lovely summer's day eating anything from this cookbook--even if I make it.
Ha! You know as long as you follow the rules (no nuts, no fruit/meat combos) I'm game to try anything -especially when plied liberally with wine first :-D
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