Post by Ida Rodgers on Jan 30, 2014 16:31:20 GMT -5
The other day, Dayna and I were discussing (on Skype) personal skills that youth need to learn in the home as opposed to going to a classroom somewhere. Dayna described how she gave a cooking lesson by baking a batch of cookies. She read the recipe out-loud. She gathered all the ingredients and placed them in a handy place for the mixing process. Then she read the recipe again step-by-step doing what the recipe called for her to do. While the youth watched this time, the youth could see the method and care that Dayna took. The steps of consulting the recipe, gathering materials and supplies, and completing cooking steps like measuring, adding, stirring, and so on were visible.
The next step, for Dayna, when teaching a skill is having the youth step up and doing the reading of the recipe, gathering supplies and ingredients, and performing the cooking steps. This is with Dayna watching and encouraging the youth. This gives the youth the opportunity to ask questions and get an immediate response. This is the practice step in the teaching process.
The next step is for the youth to complete the task without Dayna watching. If successful, that completes the learning process and allows the youth to continue practicing with different recipes.
This conversation reminded me that I was living independently as a married woman and regularly cooking for my self and my husband when I learned how to make a tossed salad in my husband's mother's kitchen. On a visit to my in-laws in California, I watched my mother-in-law make tossed salad. At the dinning room table, when I ate that salad for the first time, I was blown away by how wonderful it tasted. I had previously only used store-bought salad dressing which was poured onto a dinner salad. Once I tasted this tossed salad, I never again liked bottled dressing as much.
TOSSED SALAD
Materials List
Large mixing bowl so that the sides are considerably higher than the salad ingredients when the bowl is full of salad
A large spoon (slotted spoon is ok,)
A large fork
Salad Ingredients
Romaine lettuce
Red Leaf lettuce
Mixed greens
Green onions or a red onion
Other garden ingredients to taste: radishes, carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers (green, red, orange, or yellow) tomatoes
Other salad ingredients to taste: olives, cheese, nuts (a really good mixture for tossed salad is some Kalamata olives (pitted), crumbled feta cheese, and chopped walnuts)
Chef Salad (Salad-for-dinner): hard boiled eggs (chopped or sliced), bacon bits or other meats such as ham, chicken, or beef), cheese chunks (any kind you like such as cheddar, Swiss, Monterey jack, and so on), and other major veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, and summer squashes like zucchini.
Dressing Ingredients
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Rice Wine vinegar
Salad Herbs (either use a premixed blend of these or most of these, or use a little from as many as you have on hand): basil, chervil, chives, coriander, cresses, dill, fennel, lemon balm, celery leaves or lovage, marjoram (the one I use even if I have no other herbs), mint, parsley, savory, and thyme.
Salad Seasonings: The absolute essentials are Garlic powder and onion powder (you can use garlic salt and onion salt if your household is not on a restricted salt diet). In addition, you can use a premixed blend of seasonings. I like a blend that includes paprika, sesame seeds, and a tiny pinch of chili powder.
About the herbs and seasonings: You may not have all of these. That's ok. You can add to your collection slowly over time. Experiment with them and find the ones that give your salad the perfect kick for you.
Assembly
Step 1: Prep the Greens
Early in the day, at least an hour before making the actual salad, prepare the greens this way: wash each leaf on both sides, shake off excess water, and set aside in a drain rack covered with a few paper towels. When all the lettuce has been washed, use the wet paper towels to wrap the greens. Put this package in a plastic zip lock bag or a plastic tub with a tight fitting list. You want to squeeze out air. Refrigerate for at least an hour to crisp the leaves.
An alternate to the washing of individual leaves is to use a lettuce spinner. Put into the spinner the leaves, water, and a tablespoon of plain white vinegar. Spin the devise to force out all the liquid, and refrigerate the container until the leaves are crisp.
Step 2: Prep the salad bowls
If you use individual wooden salad bowls for serving salad at the table, prep them like this:
Smear two drops of olive oil around the inside of the bowl.
Sprinkle (lightly) garlic powder or garlic salt on the olive oil
Set aside until the final salad assembly.
Step 3: Cut the Greens
Slice each leaf down the stem. Gather several pieces in small bundles and slice across them. Throw the slices in the salad bowl.
Step 4: Cut & Add Other Veggies
At this point, personal taste comes in to play. Onions are considered in our family to be essential. A day without onion is like a day without sunshine. After that, thinly sliced cucumbers add flavor and a nice texture. My basic veggie list (depending on how long it has been since I was at the grocery store) includes: radishes, green pepper, celery, cucumber, and tomatoes.
Step 5: Dress & Toss the Greens (Hint: Do this as Step 4 if you are making a huge salad-for-dinner for everyone. The decision should be about whether you want all the veggies coated with the dressing or not.)
(This process is fun and makes you feel like a professional cook.)
5A: Olive Oil.
For each serving of salad, use 1/2 Tablespoon of olive oil. Dribble the oil all over the greens (or greens and veggie mixture). Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. The point is to distribute the oil evening on the greens.
5B: Herbs.
For each serving of salad, use 1 teaspoon of the salad herbs or a pinch of several different herbs. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. The point is to distribute the herbs evenly to the oil on the greens.
5C: Balsamic Vinegar.
For each serving of salad use 1/8 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. In other words, just a drop or two. Not much! This is strongly flavored and a little goes a long way. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. The point is to distribute the balsamic vinegar evenly.
5D: Rice Wine Vinegar.
This usually contains a little sugar and provides a sweet balance to the bite of the balsamic. For each serving of salad, use 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. Again, the point is even distribution.
5E: Seasoning.
This is really all about what you and your family like. We like garlic, onion, a tiny pinch of chili, salt, and pepper are the basics. I like the McCormick Salad Supreme for the slightly red color it adds due to the paprika in it. Sprinkle the seasoning over the salad so that it is well covered. You will want about 1/2 teaspoon per serving. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. Again, the point is even distribution.
If you ever use too much seasoning, you can cut it by adding (and re-tossing) a bit more of the rice wine vinegar.
5F: Final Touch: Salt and pepper
Some people like a bit of hand-ground salt and hand-ground pepper.
Step 6. Serving or Assembly
For a dinner salad (for example using salad bowls), dish up one serving in each bowl. An alternate is to put the large salad bowl on the table and let people help themselves when they are ready to eat some salad.
For a salad-for-dinner (Chef Salad), distribute the greens onto dinner plates and artfully arrange on top the Chef Salad ingredients. You can create a work of art using hard-boiled egg slices, bits of meat, chunks of cheese, green pepper strips and other veggies like broccoli bits, olives, and tomato slices. What do you have on hand, and what do you have in your garden?
Other touches: If ever you feel bored, you can always make a specialty salad that you create with new ingredients. Keep experimenting. Try decorating a salad with bean sprouts, chopped chive flowers (they are a pretty purple and edible), or snap peas. Try growing some salad items in the summer. Chives and snap peas are easy and cutting them for a specific salad adds to the eating experience.
If you try this, let me know what ingredients you included and how you liked it.
Ida
The next step, for Dayna, when teaching a skill is having the youth step up and doing the reading of the recipe, gathering supplies and ingredients, and performing the cooking steps. This is with Dayna watching and encouraging the youth. This gives the youth the opportunity to ask questions and get an immediate response. This is the practice step in the teaching process.
The next step is for the youth to complete the task without Dayna watching. If successful, that completes the learning process and allows the youth to continue practicing with different recipes.
This conversation reminded me that I was living independently as a married woman and regularly cooking for my self and my husband when I learned how to make a tossed salad in my husband's mother's kitchen. On a visit to my in-laws in California, I watched my mother-in-law make tossed salad. At the dinning room table, when I ate that salad for the first time, I was blown away by how wonderful it tasted. I had previously only used store-bought salad dressing which was poured onto a dinner salad. Once I tasted this tossed salad, I never again liked bottled dressing as much.
TOSSED SALAD
Materials List
Large mixing bowl so that the sides are considerably higher than the salad ingredients when the bowl is full of salad
A large spoon (slotted spoon is ok,)
A large fork
Salad Ingredients
Romaine lettuce
Red Leaf lettuce
Mixed greens
Green onions or a red onion
Other garden ingredients to taste: radishes, carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers (green, red, orange, or yellow) tomatoes
Other salad ingredients to taste: olives, cheese, nuts (a really good mixture for tossed salad is some Kalamata olives (pitted), crumbled feta cheese, and chopped walnuts)
Chef Salad (Salad-for-dinner): hard boiled eggs (chopped or sliced), bacon bits or other meats such as ham, chicken, or beef), cheese chunks (any kind you like such as cheddar, Swiss, Monterey jack, and so on), and other major veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, and summer squashes like zucchini.
Dressing Ingredients
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Rice Wine vinegar
Salad Herbs (either use a premixed blend of these or most of these, or use a little from as many as you have on hand): basil, chervil, chives, coriander, cresses, dill, fennel, lemon balm, celery leaves or lovage, marjoram (the one I use even if I have no other herbs), mint, parsley, savory, and thyme.
Salad Seasonings: The absolute essentials are Garlic powder and onion powder (you can use garlic salt and onion salt if your household is not on a restricted salt diet). In addition, you can use a premixed blend of seasonings. I like a blend that includes paprika, sesame seeds, and a tiny pinch of chili powder.
About the herbs and seasonings: You may not have all of these. That's ok. You can add to your collection slowly over time. Experiment with them and find the ones that give your salad the perfect kick for you.
Assembly
Step 1: Prep the Greens
Early in the day, at least an hour before making the actual salad, prepare the greens this way: wash each leaf on both sides, shake off excess water, and set aside in a drain rack covered with a few paper towels. When all the lettuce has been washed, use the wet paper towels to wrap the greens. Put this package in a plastic zip lock bag or a plastic tub with a tight fitting list. You want to squeeze out air. Refrigerate for at least an hour to crisp the leaves.
An alternate to the washing of individual leaves is to use a lettuce spinner. Put into the spinner the leaves, water, and a tablespoon of plain white vinegar. Spin the devise to force out all the liquid, and refrigerate the container until the leaves are crisp.
Step 2: Prep the salad bowls
If you use individual wooden salad bowls for serving salad at the table, prep them like this:
Smear two drops of olive oil around the inside of the bowl.
Sprinkle (lightly) garlic powder or garlic salt on the olive oil
Set aside until the final salad assembly.
Step 3: Cut the Greens
Slice each leaf down the stem. Gather several pieces in small bundles and slice across them. Throw the slices in the salad bowl.
Step 4: Cut & Add Other Veggies
At this point, personal taste comes in to play. Onions are considered in our family to be essential. A day without onion is like a day without sunshine. After that, thinly sliced cucumbers add flavor and a nice texture. My basic veggie list (depending on how long it has been since I was at the grocery store) includes: radishes, green pepper, celery, cucumber, and tomatoes.
Step 5: Dress & Toss the Greens (Hint: Do this as Step 4 if you are making a huge salad-for-dinner for everyone. The decision should be about whether you want all the veggies coated with the dressing or not.)
(This process is fun and makes you feel like a professional cook.)
5A: Olive Oil.
For each serving of salad, use 1/2 Tablespoon of olive oil. Dribble the oil all over the greens (or greens and veggie mixture). Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. The point is to distribute the oil evening on the greens.
5B: Herbs.
For each serving of salad, use 1 teaspoon of the salad herbs or a pinch of several different herbs. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. The point is to distribute the herbs evenly to the oil on the greens.
5C: Balsamic Vinegar.
For each serving of salad use 1/8 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. In other words, just a drop or two. Not much! This is strongly flavored and a little goes a long way. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. The point is to distribute the balsamic vinegar evenly.
5D: Rice Wine Vinegar.
This usually contains a little sugar and provides a sweet balance to the bite of the balsamic. For each serving of salad, use 1 teaspoon of rice wine vinegar. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. Again, the point is even distribution.
5E: Seasoning.
This is really all about what you and your family like. We like garlic, onion, a tiny pinch of chili, salt, and pepper are the basics. I like the McCormick Salad Supreme for the slightly red color it adds due to the paprika in it. Sprinkle the seasoning over the salad so that it is well covered. You will want about 1/2 teaspoon per serving. Then using the large spoon and fork, toss the greens over and over for about a minute or about 10 times. Again, the point is even distribution.
If you ever use too much seasoning, you can cut it by adding (and re-tossing) a bit more of the rice wine vinegar.
5F: Final Touch: Salt and pepper
Some people like a bit of hand-ground salt and hand-ground pepper.
Step 6. Serving or Assembly
For a dinner salad (for example using salad bowls), dish up one serving in each bowl. An alternate is to put the large salad bowl on the table and let people help themselves when they are ready to eat some salad.
For a salad-for-dinner (Chef Salad), distribute the greens onto dinner plates and artfully arrange on top the Chef Salad ingredients. You can create a work of art using hard-boiled egg slices, bits of meat, chunks of cheese, green pepper strips and other veggies like broccoli bits, olives, and tomato slices. What do you have on hand, and what do you have in your garden?
Other touches: If ever you feel bored, you can always make a specialty salad that you create with new ingredients. Keep experimenting. Try decorating a salad with bean sprouts, chopped chive flowers (they are a pretty purple and edible), or snap peas. Try growing some salad items in the summer. Chives and snap peas are easy and cutting them for a specific salad adds to the eating experience.
If you try this, let me know what ingredients you included and how you liked it.
Ida