A salad is usually a dish made up of mixed assorted pieces of food, most commonly with some sort of raw vegetable topping, usually lettuce or cabbage. Though some may be served cold, they are normally usually dressed and usually served either at room temperature on the table, or followed by some sort of condiment. Salad dressing is also an important factor in the typical meal. In a salad, dressing tends to come before or after the food, depending on personal preference, or it may be served as a part of the main course.
In some salad recipes, like those that use canned vegetables, olives, or other cold items, the dressing is prepared ahead of time to add some extra zing, or taste, to the salad. A common dressing for a salad is vinaigrette, which helps enhance the flavor of whatever is placed in the salad. In addition to dressing, other common condiments used are mayonnaise, olive oil, bacon or ham slices, chopped tomatoes, chopped Red Onions, chopped Baby Monks (green onions), chopped Cilantro, and Diced Red Onions (to give the salad a crispy texture). A dash of lemon juice may also be added, depending on your preference. This dressing is best combined with crunchy vegetables like celery and onions; though you can leave out the vegetables if you do not want a heavy dressing.
Other salad dressings are less common, such as ranch dressing, spicy buffalo sauce, sour cream, or Cajun seasonings. Some may even use garlic, which adds a very unique flavor to a salad. Cold pressed vegetable shortening is popular in place of butter in salad dressings, especially if you don’t like a heavy taste. Salad mayonnaise is often used in place of the oil, which helps the salad taste light and more refreshing. For added crunch, guacamole may be used instead of the cream. Other salad dressing combinations include: Baby Portabella With Her Cheesy Bacon And tomato Ranch, Caesar Salad With Chicken And Romaine, or Blue Cheese And Strawberries.