Task 79: Activity | Simple Salad & Vinaigrette

Estimated Time: 40 mins

Tips & Related Information
Information in this column will not be included on tests or other graded activities.

Perfect grade - 100%

Instructor Comments

Hi Leela,
Thank you for sharing your lovely Radicchio and Frisée Winter Salad with Pear, Gorgonzola, and Pecans. You have created nice textures and good, contrasting flavors with just a few simple ingredients.
Your mise en place is neat and organized all the way through the assignment, which is a great habit to carry with you throughout your culinary journey. Great job on tasting and adjusting as needed throughout the process. This is an important skill to obtain consistently good results in any dish!
Good job overall, keep up the good work, and keep pushing yourself! I look forward to what will come from you. I hope you enjoy the rest of the course.
Cheers,
Sandy

Graded on March 9, 2021 by Sandy SScore Breakdown6 out of 6 Points Mise en place for salad6 out of 6 Points Mise en place for vinaigrette8 out of 8 Points Finished dish

Image Upload Assessment: Salad & Vinaigrette

Prepare a simple salad with a few components and a leafy green. The concept with this assessment is to keep it simple and elegant with five ingredients or less. The salad should use seasonal vegetables and showcase a variety of colors and textures. The vinaigrette should also be simple (oil, acid and basic flavorings) and the flavors should enhance the overall dish.

Instructions: Prepare a salad with a vinaigrette.

Notes:

Be sure to take well-lit, clear, and relatively close-up photographs that capture the details of your work and highlight the learning outcomes. We will provide guidelines on what to emphasize in your photos.

Remember that perfect scores are reserved for exemplary work and that even good work has room for improvement. Take the time to do your best work before you submit your assignment. And, note in advance that you may not appeal your grade for the purposes of redoing the assignment to get a better grade. Please take a moment to reflect on and learn from your experience and our feedback.

This activity is worth 20 points

Submit the following:

Photo 1: Mise en Place for Salad
Set out all your ingredients, measured and ready to use in your preparation.
Salad prep should contain 5 ingredients or less.
Description to identify the ingredients shown and the reason you selected these.

Photo 2: Mise en Place for Vinaigrette
Set out all your ingredients, measured and ready to use in your preparation.
The description should identify and describe the ingredients shown and explain your rationale for the selection. Explain the method, technique, or process you used to prepare this.

Photo 3: Finished Product
Serve the salad and a small side of vinaigrette in a clear bowl to view it.
Include a detailed description with a focus on taste, flavor, aroma, and texture of the final dish.
Explain what elements would you approach differently next time.

Activity | Image Upload: Simple Salad & Vinaigrette

View other student photos: Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Photo 3

Mise En Place for Winter Salad

The local Farmer’s Market was the inspiration for this late winter salad of radicchio and frisée with green d’Anjou pear, Gorgonzola, and pecans. I wanted to experiment with some bold, bitter greens and chose the radicchio and frisée specifically for their colors and textures as I thought it would make the salad visually pop and add interesting mouthfeel. The pears struck me as a good choice for winter fruit to bring in some sweetness, along with the pecans for crunch, sweetness, and color. The aged Gorgonzola was a decadent choice and would bring a bold creaminess. I hoped to try out finding a balance for the bold and bitter greens and how to pair a vinaigrette that would complement the flavors using what I learned.

Photo 1: Mise En Place for Salad (6 pts)

By Leela N.

Mise En Place for Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette

Cold pressed olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Vermont Grade A maple syrup were used along with salt and freshly ground pepper to create a vinaigrette that balanced sweetness with acidity. The rationale was to have the sweetness of the maple, along with a bit of sour, balance the bitterness of both greens. I initially used 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, though ultimately I doubled the vinegar after dipping a few leaves of the salad to taste it, however I often find I like more acidity in things. I added Dijon because I learned the mustard stabilizes the emulsion, though really I like the tang and depth it adds. I normally whisk in the oil last to have the most control over the emulsion and flavor, but this time I measured the ingredients and put it into a container and shook it because the course had mentioned it. I then added salt and pepper to taste and shook again. I liked the convenience but would probably stick to whisking since I like more acidic vinaigrettes and find it easier to control.

Photo 2: Mise En Place for Vinaigrette (6 pts)

By Leela N.

Radicchio and Frisée Winter Salad with Pear, Gorgonzola, and Pecans

The radicchio and frisée were a terrific choice, as the contrasting textures provided interesting mouthfeel, their vibrant colors made the salad more visually stunning, and they each brought bitterness but different flavor. The radicchio itself had a mild sweetness to it. And, as expected, the sweetness from the green d’Anjou pears proved to be a great contrast, alongside the maple-Dijon vinaigrette which really helped to balance it. The pear was thinly sliced and added a crisp texture and refreshing taste. The aged mountain Gorgonzola with deep blue veins was rich and gave it creaminess and bite. The pecans continued the sweet/bitter theme while adding a crunchy yet buttery texture after being toasted. Overall I thought the salad was a success with additional apple cider vinegar to bring up the acidity.