314 Part Three Ingredients, Preparation, and Presentation
Mustard Mustard adds a sharp flavor
which helps counter the richness of the oil
in vinaigrette. More importantly, mustard
helps to emulsify mayonnaise and emulsified
dressings. Dry mustard powder, Dijon-style
mustard, or other prepared mustards can
all be used in vinaigrettes. Since the flavor
of these mustards is strong, they are used in
small amounts.
Sanitation and
Quality in Salad
Preparation
As with many other areas of the profes-
sional kitchen, quality and sanitation go
hand in hand. By following sanitary proce-
dures, you are also ensuring the quality of
the salads you serve, 19-8. The following
standard procedures help ensure both
quality and sanitation:
•
Thoroughly wash all salad ingredients
before using in a salad presentation.
•
Keeping salad ingredients well chilled
keeps them crisp and sanitary as
well.
•
Keep dressings containing egg or
dairy products refrigerated at or below
41°F (5°C).
•
Chill salad plates before plating to avoid
wilting greens and other ingredients.
•
Use gloves or utensils to handle salad
ingredients because salads are ready-to-
eat foods.
•
Mix tossed salads with dressing as close
to service as possible.
•
Do not overdress salads. Use only
enough dressing to lightly coat the
greens.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
By far the most popular flavored oil is olive
oil. Used in the Mediterranean for centuries,
it has recently gained praise because of its
health benefits in lowering cholesterol. To
choose the best olive oil for salads and cold
sauces, select an olive oil that is graded “extra
virgin.” Extra virgin olive oil is the first pressing
of the olives and is done without heat. Extra
virgin oils have a fruitier, mellower flavor
because heat, which destroys the delicate
flavor of olive oil, is not used. Less expensive
pomice (nonvirgin) oil is more commonly used
for cooking because the heat destroys the
delicate flavors of extra virgin oil.
E Vi i Oli
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