I’m interested to see how the number of lunchtime salads that guests in my restaurants order always increases as the weather warms up in spring. The reason partly comes from the fact that fresh salad leaves and other vegetables increase in abundance at farmers markets. Also, our appetites start to lean toward lighter, fresher-tasting dishes once winter’s cold has passed. And finally, so many people find this time of year ideal for eating more healthily and getting into shape for summer.
Yet, it also surprises me how often the lunchtime salads people order can be anything but light and healthy. They’ll heap on creamy dressings rich with mayonnaise, cream or cheese. More cheese might go straight into the salad, along with garnishes such as crispy, crumbled bacon or lots and lots of croutons saturated with butter or oil. Even those who are aware that such additions are less than good for you will explain that they do what they have to do to make a plateful or bowlful of leaves taste delicious.
But I’m here to tell you that salads can deliver great taste with every bite while also remaining light and fresh. The secret to achieving this seemingly self-contradictory goal comes in selecting the perfect combination of ingredients — salad leaves, dressings, accompaniments and garnishes that have complementary colors, shapes, textures and tastes. I aim for what I like to think of as a yin-yang of experiences: a balance of tangy and rich, bitter and sweet, salty and spicy flavors, and a combination of textures that are both tender and crispy.
All those things are possible when you think your way through planning a salad while also keeping good nutrition in mind. Take, for example, the recipe I share here for a salad based on mildly bitter leaves of frisee, radicchio and
arugula, combined with thin slices of sweet-and-tangy apple and tossed with a light but flavorful lemon vinaigrette. The accompanying crostini made from toasted whole-grain bread spread with a rapidly prepared mixture of smoked fish, reduced-fat sour cream, horseradish and fresh herbs turns the salad into a satisfying main dish. One resulting generous serving adds up to just under 550 calories, with only about 30 percent of those coming from fat.
The recipe also lends itself to easy variation. You can, for example, use different salad leaves such as Belgian endive or baby spinach; substitute crispy pears for the apple; swap smoked trout or sturgeon, or hot-smoked salmon, for the smoked whitefish; or replace the toasted bread with appropriately portioned servings of your favorite healthy whole-grain crackers. In other words, you’ve got an easy-to-follow plan, not just for one lunchtime salad, but several to inspire healthier springtime lunches.
Frisee and Apple Salad With Smoked Whitefish Crostini
Serves 4
Lemon Vinaigrette
Makes about 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a small nonreactive bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and sugar. Stir with a whisk until thoroughly blended. Whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to form a smooth emulsion. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to one week.
Frisee and Apple Salad
4 small heads frisee (curly endive)
1 cup torn radicchio leaves
1 cup baby arugula leaves
2 large Granny Smith apples
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoked Whitefish Crostini
1/2 pound smoked whitefish fillets, skinned, any bones removed, flesh flaked
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 thin slices whole-wheat or multigrain bread
For garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Small fresh dill sprigs
Directions:
At least an hour before preparing the salads, make the lemon vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate.
For the smoked whitefish crostini: In a food processor fitted with the stainless-steel blade, combine the flaked smoked whitefish, sour cream, horseradish and lemon juice. Pulse until coarsely, but evenly, pureed. Pulse in the chives, dill and salt/pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
Shortly before you plan to serve the salad, toast the baguette slices until golden brown. Set aside.
For the frisee and apple salad: Remove and discard the coarse darker outer leaves from the frisee. Separate the pale inner leaves, and place them in a strainer. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Drain well. Spread the leaves on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, roll them up, and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Unroll the leaves, and put them in a large salad bowl, tearing any larger leaves into bite-size pieces if necessary.
Put the radicchio and arugula in a strainer, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Drain well. Dry thoroughly with paper towels, and add the leaves to the frisee. Gently toss all the leaves to combine them.
With a small, sharp knife, quarter and core the apples. Cut them into very thin slices; or, using the julienne disc on a food processor, cut them into thin julienne strips. Arrange the apples on top of the salad leaves, reserving a few pieces to garnish the crostini.
Spread the smoked whitefish mixture on the toasted bread slices. Garnish with the reserved sliced or julienned apple, chives and dill, and arrange them on a platter to serve alongside the salad.
Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad mixture, and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Toss the salad just before serving. Taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.