Not enough salt Freshly squeezed lemon Wet lettuce Small chunks of onions Dont let the salad wilt Use a big bowl The hand is the best tool to mix veggies Thank you ma'am for the tips!
You are the reason my salad dressing was perfect ....it seems I wasn’t putting enough salt but had no idea that alone would fix the problem.....seriously I’ve been making dressings for years....thank you so much..it was THE most delicious EVER
Dear Helen, I love this subject! as any french person I LOVE vinaigrette :) I have come across 2 tips that were game changing for me : - for a less tangy vinaigrette (by the book french vinaigrette ratio is 1 measure vinegar, 2 measures oil), just add water instead of oil! I've been told that is how italians do, it helps soak all veggies in sauce. - for a fluffy vinaigrette, start with the mustard and salt, THEN the oil bit by bit, and beat until desired consistency. My aunt's almost ressemble a mayonnaise! Then you carefully add the vinegar, to keep this nice thickness. bonus tip : for a "Lyon" style vinaigrette, add fresh garlic - perfect for salads with bitter ingredients or meat! (Lyon is a city famous for their unique bistrot style)
“if this is not your first time watching this channel you probably know what that secret ingredient is, right?” ..... aaaah in a moment of doubt/panic I changed my answer to pomegranate molasses 😹
I was the Lead Cook at a hospital that had pretty pitiful food. After about a year in, working with my boss and retooling the menu a bit here and there, our salad bar was a hit with everyone. A Coworker pulled me aside one day and asked me "What did you do to make the salads so much better?" I simply said "A little salt and pepper goes a long way on a salad...." She thought I was crazy but it obviously was working haha.
Yep. I don't add salt but I add muffaletta and black pepper to my lettuce and likely toss it in a small amount of dressing. Then I add my salad topping (cheese and meat) that's been marinated in dressing. My salads are flavorful and borderline addictive
I have made my own salads for many many years and been in the kitchen since I was a kid. Your tips are right on the money and include many things I learned by trial and error. For those just learning. Try things out and see what happens. You learn by doing.
I learned about this method from my mom. She would mix dressings this way when we were family camping....keeping gear to a minimum. Also I am a big Alton Brown fan...every gadget has to do at least three things! And I’m 70 now, so Mom would have been doing this during the 50’s.
@@janwoodward7360 Dankeschön for your answer. I like the jam jar method as well. And keeping it basic in the vinaigrette: oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, Just like my mother used to make it. As children, we never had to be told to eat salat. We just did.
Helen, thank you so much for the time, energy and effort you put in your videos. I love how down-to-earth and unpretentious you are. I hope you know, you are improving people’s lives, each and every video. It’s too bad you are not receiving the same type of monetary compensation other RU-vidrs are. Keep plugging along and one day it will pay off financially (at least that is my hope).
Great tips, Helen. Thanks. I've found a small splash of water can help soften a sharp vinaigrette. If you use a jar to shake all the dressing ingredients it emulsifies well.
howdy Helen! I have learned so much form your videos! While watching this video i had to pause at the 1:50 mark, when you are talking about the box prewashed greens. I purchase my baby spinach from Costco like this. After the initial opening prep, when you put the unused portion in your refrigerator first place a paper towel on tope of the greens. And when storing in your fridge place up side down. This will allow you to keep the greens fresher longer with less waste. change the paper towel as needed.
Helen, you are an absolute treasure! I know that in my younger days, I made each of these mistakes. I would have made better salads sooner, if RU-vid was around earlier. Many thanks for all that you do!!
Lady!, you are awesome. No body, for whatever reason, dare to talk about salad. Salad, what’s to talk about, that’s easy. Not true, and you prove them wrong. Great episode. Thank you.
Another idea: sandwich mistakes. I personally love sandwiches, however, consuming them as often as I do, I sometime make a bad one stuffing too much ingredients. P. S. Great instructional video! ☺️
Finely shredded iceberg lettuce, oil/vinegar/salt/pepper/oregano, or homemade Italian dressing w/o sugar in it. Very thinly sliced tomatoes too, but use as much as you like!
my fave salad dressing is just equal amounts soy sauce, rice vinegar & toasted sesame oil... its SO perfect and so easy please give it a try with some leafy greens and clementine segments 😍
Perfect timing for this...we are getting beautiful lettuce varieties from our local farm markets. Your earlier video about washing and storing leafy greens is a lifesaver. Thank you, Helen.
This is a FANTASTIC video. The only problem I have is my hubby doesn't care for vinaigrette type dressings. This 1 looks so delicious though I think I'll have to spring it on him. And next time we visit southern MA & our grandkids maybe we can make it to Boston. Between a class fron you & visits to Milk Street kitchen & ATK, I think I'd be in food heaven.
@SylvanaForrester yea the requests lately are absurd, and plane ignorant. People don't want us handing them things directly, but don't realize I just touched there food while preparing it...
Always wanted to do a show on terrible customers in restaurants and retail because people are nuts! Seriously living in France it’s hilarious to see the difference in how they treat customers....haaaaaaa haaaaa they don’t tolerate peoples shit at all bye bye get out and never come back as they call the shops next door and say see that asshole walking out my store don’t let him in your store and there goes the keys doors and locks in your face!
I've found shaking the box salad mix helps it last longer too. After you've served some, shut it well and hold the lid and container together, turn it upside down and shake it (not too rough). Distributes the condensation instead of just having water sitting in the same spots which causes it to rot faster. Try to eat salad with every meal when you buy it! Your bowels need fiber..
Hi Helen, that salad you made is called fattouch in Lebanese cuisine, it is delicious . Some people fry the pieces of bread as they stay crunchy with the dressing, but I prefer your version ( healthier). Thank you for all the tips 🥰🥰👍
This salad is one of my favorites. It takes a few tries to get it perfect! After a while, you can make a few adjustments for a bit of variety...😋😃 Fresh lemon juice & zest & a good quality olive oil are my go to favs!!
Oh Why didn't I find this video years and years ago. "A few glugs" makes so much more sense to me than 10ml or 16grms or whatever. I am now excited to go make a because I a. know what to do and b. what NOT to do and that a "glug" is considered an actual measurement. Thank you, Helen Rennie!
Thank you so much. I never knew to salt salad. I was trying to learn to cook by following recipes, and no one ever mentioned adding salt to the salad. I thought the dressing was always supposed to take care of that sort of problem. I started directly salting my salads because of you and it has been a game changer. I don't need to drown my salad in dressing to choke it down anymore. I can actually enjoy a salad without any dressing now, when before eating salad was a chore I had to force myself to do.
in that Samin Nosrat book she says that you should “macerate” your onions in vinegar to take the edge (burn?) off ( salt fat acid heat book). It’s a great plan to just put the onions straight into the dressing though 😺
Thank you very much for your lesson .I prep food every day for my family,and every day you learn something new.From now one this will be the way how I’ll make my green leafy salad 😊
Congratulations on a wonderful series of videos. You really put a lot of thought and explication into each one. FYI, as I understand it, the root for the word "salary" comes from the word "salt." In the Roman Empire, one portion of a soldier's wages (salary) enabled him to buy salt.
@@aprilmay1700 sugar is more in packaged food. The way restaurants work is by using plenty of salt and fat. Sugar isn't as effective in fresh food as it is in packaged foods. Salt and fat are always effective.
Back in the day I was taught to take the "bite" out of raw onion by giving the sliced onion an ice water bath for a few minutes before incorporating them into the salad. Curious to know if this is common in the industry or just a whim of my chefs?
This is the first video I've seen from this content provider. EXCELLENT INSTRUCTIONS! Helen Rennie makes it possible for everyone to enjoying incredibly delicious salads. Thank you, for your OUTSTANDING SERVICE!
Helen, I love you 💖💖💖💖 I absolutely love watching you, And hear you explain the way you do..... God bless you and keep you and prosper you all the days of your life 🔥🔥🔥 From California with love 🇺🇲💖🇺🇲💖🇺🇲💖💖💖
Oh my! Where have you been all my life! I'm just learning to eat and cook again after three years of cancer treatment and recovery. I need everything explained simply. Thank you!
Loved it....great tips!! only thing for me is I need a ratio of 1:3 at least or even 1:4 lime juice or vinegar to oil.... and a bit of grated onion works wonders on any salad dressing! Also add a tiny bit of something sweet (sugar, xylitol, honey) or using some sweet white balsamic vinegar from italy “condimento Bianco”! It is delicious!
I love your style (dishware) and fantastic that you showed that time worn pan when you oiled your pita. Those pans deserve respect for the way they have served us for years. Someday, some examples will be in all the big museums.
Chef here. As ever, great wee vid and excellent tutorial. The only comment I would make is that you should wash all salad and veg, regardless of whether the bag states it's been pre-washed. Lettuce and other salad leaves are often linked to outbreaks of E-Coli, which is pretty serious, requiring hospitalisation. Furthermore, it can be fatal to certain groups i.e young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems through illness etc. All food establishments must follow strict guidelines around this sort of thing, yet we don't educate our consumers (civillians 😀) about the importance of this. Not a criticism, more just advice from a freelance Head Chef who has to ensure the highest of standards around food safety and food hygiene etc. More to being a Chef than just cooking 😕
I have been learning this method - appreciated your comments and instructions. I find that making that dressing in bottom of my large bowl and adding the ingredients with greens at the top helps. It can sit a bit while I am finishing up the rest of my meal. Using my hands I toss at the last minute and everything is ready. My sister told me about Debbie Meyer green bags and I have been using them for storage of my greens - that sure keep fresher in them. I've just come across your channel and love it!
I finally found a good chef actually explaining how to cook and apply logic to it. I'm so bored of all these great cooks simply telling me how to make something but not explaining the process.
Oh my goodness, I just sprinkled a bit of regular table salt right on my lettuce leaves, mixed well, added some dressing, mixed, and wow-----that does make all the difference! I would never have guessed.
