The Ultimate Salad Recipe Collection

More than any other dish, the unique flavors of a salad is the perfect accompaniment to an elaborate dinner. The simple combination of fresh ingredients in a salad can be more impressive than even the most elegant dish.

The Ultimate Salad Recipe Collection gives you more than 350 easy-to-follow recipes, including both classic favorites and fresh new ideas. Inside you'll find salads designed to suit any occasion throughout the year -- from a summer barbecue to an elegant dinner with family or friends.

In The Ultimate Salad Recipe Collection you will find a salad for every occasion.

Chinese Noodle Salad w/ Roasted Eggplant
The Noodles & The Marinade
7 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar -- or more to taste
2 1/2 teaspoons red pepper oil
8 each scallions -- mostly white part,
-- thinly sliced
3 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped
14 ounces Chinese noodles
=20
The Eggplant & The Vegetable Garnish
1 pound Japanese eggplant
1 tablespoon ginger root -- 1 1/2 oz. peeled &
-- minced
1 clove garlic -- finely chopped
Reserved Marinade, from above
4 ounces snow peas -- strings removed, cut
-- in narrow strips
1/2 pound mung bean sprouts
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 each carrot -- medium size, cut in
-- jullienne
Cilantro leaves -- for garnish
Begin by making the marinade. Combine all the ingredients (except the
noodles) in a bowl, stir them together until the sugar is dissolved.
Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. While it is
heating, gently pull apart the strands of noodles with your fingers,
loosening and fluffing them as you do so. Add the noodles to the
boiling water without any salt, and give them a quick stir with a fork
or a pair of chopsticks. Cook briefly until they are done but not
overly soft, a few minutes at most. Immediately pour them into a
colander and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking. Shake the
colander vigorously to get rid of as much water as possible, and put
the noodles into a bowl. Stir the marinade again; then pour half of it
over the noodles and toss them with your hands to distribute the
marinade. Set the remaining marinade aside. If the noodles aren't to be
used for a while, cover them with plastic and refrigerate them. The
flavors, as well as the heat in the red pepper oil, will develop as the
noodles sit.
Preheat the oven to 400=B0F. Pierce the eggplants in several places and
bake them until they are soft and their skins have shriveled, about 20
minutes, depending on their size. Turn them over after 10 minutes so
they will bake evenly. When the eggplants are done, remove them to a
cutting board and slice them in half lengthwise. When they are cool
enough to handle, peel the skin away from the flesh. Don't worry about
any small pieces of skin that are difficult to remove - the flecks of
dark purple - brown are pretty. Shred the eggplants, gently tearing
them into 1/4 - inch strips. Add the ginger and garlic to the reserved
marinade, then the eggplant strips. Turn the pieces over several times
to make sure all the surfaces are well coated, and set them aside.
Bring a quart of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt. Blanch the
snow peas until they are bright green; then remove them with a strainer
and rinse them in cool water. Cut them into long, narrow strips and set
them aside.
Next, put the sprouts in the water and cook them for about 30 seconds.
Pour them into a colander, rinse them with cold water, and lay them on
a clean kitchen towel to dry. Roast the sesame seeds in a pan until
they are lightly colored and smell toasty.
If the noodles have been refrigerated, allow them to come to room
temperature; then toss them with the eggplant strips and half the
sesame seeds. Mound them on a platter, distribute the carrots, snow
peas, and mung bean sprouts over the noodles, and garnish with the
remaining sesame seeds and the leafy branches of cilantro.
Present the salad like this, layered and laced with the colorful
garnishes, either on a single large platter or on individual plates.
Once served, guests can toss the noodles and vegetables together to
thoroughly mingle the different colors, textures, and tastes.
Chinese pasta salad
1 1/2 cups Snow peas
250 grams Rice vermicelli
Red pepper sliced thin
1/2 each English cucumber sliced thin
6 ounces Cooked shrimp
130 grams Crabmeat
1 tablespoon Fine chopped fresh ginger
1 each Chopped garlic clove
2 tablespoons Sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
2 tablespoons Lemon juice
3 teaspoons Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Red wine vinegar
Wash and trim snow peas. Place them in a bowl and pour in enough...