Salad Bar Bread Recipes

SALAD IN A BREAD BOWL

Steps:

• Divide bread dough into four equal portions; pat each into an 8-in. circle. Coat the outside of four 5-in. x 2-in. round ovenproof bowls with cooking spray. Place upside down on a baking sheet. Shape dough circles around bowls. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, combine lettuce, tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumber, celery and carrots; set aside. , In a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Place 2-1/2 cups of lettuce mixture into each bread bowl. Top with 1/4 cup beef mixture. Serve with dressing.

SALAD BAR SALAD WITH CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING

Steps:

• For the dressing: Mince the garlic with a knife and then sprinkle about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of salt on it and mash it into a paste with a fork. Chop the parsley, chives and basil very finely and add to the garlic.
• In a bowl, combine the garlic mixture, mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan, cayenne, paprika and Worcestershire, tasting frequently and adjusting the seasonings as needed. Chill for a couple of hours before serving. Thin with a little milk before using if desired.
• For the salad: To assemble, layer chunks of the iceberg lettuce on a platter. In lines, lay on the grated cheese, shredded carrots and cucumber slices, and sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top. Drizzle on the dressing and serve.

WARM BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Place currants in a small dish, add red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon warm water, and set aside. Heat broiler. Place pine nuts in small baking dish, and toast under broiler until very lightly colored. Set aside.
• Cut bread into three or four large chunks. Closely trim off most of the crust and reserve, if desired, to toast and use for bread crumbs or to float in soup. Brush bread all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Briefly broil bread chunks, turning until crisp and golden on surface. Remove from oven, trim off any charred tips, and tear chunks into irregular pieces, from 2-inch wads to large crumbs. You should have 4 cups. Place in wide metal, glass or ceramic salad bowl.
• Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 1/2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of this dressing over bread and toss.
• Place one tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet. Add garlic and scallions, and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until softened but not colored. Add to bread and fold in. Drain currants and fold in. Add pine nuts and fold in. Drizzle salad with stock or water, and fold in. Taste a couple of pieces of bread. Add a little more vinegar, salt and pepper if necessary. Toss well, and transfer to a 4-cup baking dish. Tent lightly with foil. Do not wash salad bowl. Set salad aside until about 30 minutes before serving time.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place bread salad in oven, turn off heat, and leave for 15 minutes. Return salad to bowl. Add greens, remaining vinaigrette, and enough of remaining olive oil so bread is not dry. Toss again. Serve with grilled or roasted meat.

WARM BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Cut the top third of the bread off and set the parts aside, uncovered, for several hours or overnight. When the bread is somewhat stale, use your hands or a spoon to scrape the bread away from the crusts. Set the larger bottom crusts aside and rip the top crusts into small pieces. Place the pieces, along with the interior bread, in a large bowl and add 2 cups of the stock. Sprinkle the remaining cup of stock over the bread-crust bowls. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender (do not let them brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken livers and continue to cook until they are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the sherry vinegar and currants to the pan with the livers and cook until the vinegar just evaporates, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the soaked bread, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Dice the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and dot inside the bottom of the bread bowls with it. Spoon the mixture into the bowls, packing it in and mounding it. Cover the bowls with foil and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until they are warmed through. Slice into wedges and serve.

ULTIMATE SALAD BAR

Steps:

• Use this more as a guide for creating the ultimate salad bar at home. You don't have to follow this completely as written.
• First the base. I like to have three different lettuces to choose from. In three separate large bowls, place the chopped romaine, spring lettuce mix and baby spinach and set aside.
• Next up is the protein. Use help from the store for this. Go to the deli counter and get roasted chicken and just slice or shred at home. Cooked ham that you dice up can be a quick fix as well! If you want to cook the tofu yourself, drain extra-firm tofu very well and pat dry. Then cube up and sauté in a pan with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook the bacon strips in the oven on a baking sheet for a quick and easy no-mess way of cooking. Lastly, hard boil some eggs for a quick protein rich alternative to meat!
• No salad bar is complete without veggie toppings, and you'll want lots of them. In small bowls, lay out the different sliced and chopped vegetables. This can be whatever you like, have on hand or find at the grocery store in season. I used avocado, carrots, peas, cucumber, corn, tomatoes, and red onion. Canned beans like chickpeas or black beans add a nice hearty bite to salads as well.
• Now let's talk cheese. Sure we're trying to be healthy but a small amount of cheese never hurt anyone. Set out some of your favorite cheeses. I like crumbled feta for a nice salty bite, or grated parmesan. Simple shredded cheddar or cubed mozzarella would be great as well.
• Finish things off with some crunchy and/or chewy toppings. Nuts or seeds are always a good idea. Sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts or dried fruit are all good options. Take advantage of what the store has to offer. You can't forget the croutons either. I don't think I can have a salad without croutons.
• For dressings: You can buy some or you can make one or both of these super easy dressings. For the Dijon Vinaigrette, place all of the ingredients into a mason jar and secure tightly with the lid. Then shake until fully combined. It's that simple! For the creamy Dijon dressing, whisk together the ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Transfer to serving dishes and place near the end of your salad bar.
• Then just have your guests go through and create their own salads!