Cooking Questions: Salads and Dressings

By:   Allrecipes Staff

Browse our collection of frequently asked cooking questions for advice on preparing salads and dressings.

• How can I prevent the fruit in my gelatin salad from sinking to the bottom of the mold?

Add texture, flavor and visual appeal to any gelatin dessert by mixing in fruit, vegetables, nuts or marshmallows. Some of these things like to float, and some like to sink. However, it's possible to tame these garnishes and make them stay put: patience is the key. You must wait until the gelatin is semi-firm--about the consistency of cold egg whites--before pushing in the fruit. It will stay right where you put it.

• I want to take pasta or potato salad to a picnic. Is this safe?

Any type of pasta salad or potato salad should be kept well chilled until you are ready to serve it, whether it's made with oil and vinegar dressings or the wrongly-maligned mayonnaise. The true culprits in cases of food poisoning are the potatoes and pasta: they're the perfect warm, moist, neutral environments in which bacteria thrive. Since it's not a picnic without pasta or potato salad, pack them in a cooler and keep your salads safe to eat.

• What is the secret to making a good, homemade vinaigrette?

Start with two parts oil for every one part vinegar. Taste, and adjust the proportions to satisfy your taste buds. Extra-virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, hazelnut oil, and walnut oil are all power-players in the world of taste, and you can get by with using much less oil while still adding superior flavor if you choose a bold one. To add that all-important zing to the dressing, try cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, raspberry vinegar, or even lime or lemon juice. Whatever you use as the basis of your dressing, be sure to round it out with salt and pepper, a teaspoon of sugar for balance, and perhaps a dash of red pepper flakes, a little bit of crushed garlic, a dab of mustard, or anything else you think will make your vinaigrette distinctive.

• What is arugula?

Also called rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola, arugula is a slightly bitter, aromatic salad green with a peppery mustard flavor. Though it has long been extremely popular with Italians, American palates often find its flavor too assertive. Arugula (which resembles radish leaves) can be found in specialty produce markets and in some supermarkets. It's sold in small bunches with roots attached. The leaves should be bright green and fresh looking. Arugula is very perishable and should be tightly wrapped in a plastic bag and refrigerated for no more than 2 days. Its leaves hold a tremendous amount of grit and must be thoroughly washed just before using. Arugula makes a lively addition to salads, soups and sautéed vegetable dishes. It's a rich source of iron as well as vitamins A and C.