Salad Days

Europe

From Bulgaria, we have Shopska salad which is a well-known salad that has become popular throughout the Balkans and Southeastern Europe. It is Bulgaria's most famous dish and national salad. The salad ingredients include the three colors of the flag of Bulgaria.

It is a combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, raw or roasted pepper, white brine cheese and parsley. The vegetables are cubed and salted. Then a dressing of sunflower oil or olive oil is mixed with vinegar and added to the salad. Once the salad is done it is covered in a thick layer of grated or diced brine cheese.

From Serbia comes a delicious salad called Srpska salata and happens to be a variation on the famous Bulgarian Shopska salad. This salad is a combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, raw or roasted peppers, and onions. It omits the salty cheese. The vegetables are combined and seasoned with salt and pepper then drizzled with oil and vinegar.

Greek cabbage salad is usually prepared in winter. It is a combination of shredded white or red cabbage that has been covered with olive oil and lemon juice and various spices added as well as additional vegetables like fennel or carrots. If prefered a dressing can be made with yogurt or mayonnaise.

A salad from Italy is Giardiniera which is a traditional salad made with a combination of vegetables like carrots, pearl onions, cauliflower, bell peppers, and cucumbers. Once combined the vegetables are mixed with vinegar, oil, and herbs and spices. Then the salad is stored in jars and left in a cool place before serving so the juices and flavors combine. This salad can be used as a condiment to add to sandwiches, bruschettas, and burgers or served as an appetizer.

Esqueixada is a traditional salad from Catalan, a region in Northeastern Spain. The main ingredient of this salad is cod along with tomatoes, onions, red peppers, and olive oil. Traditionally the cod is desalted and flaked with the fingers. The name Esqueixada is derived from esqueixar or to tear. The salad is served in the summertime and garnished with hard-boiled eggs and black olives.

A traditional salad from Murcia, a university city in Spain is Ensalada Murciana. The salad is made with tomatoes, onions, tuna or cod, hard-boiled eggs and black Cuquillo olives. After the salad is mixed together it is drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with some salt, Then it is well-chilled before serving in the summer and if made in the winter served at room temperature. This salad improves with time so it is best prepared a few hours before serving or made the day before.

Huzarensalade is the Dutch version of the Olivier salad. It is a mixture of potatoes, tart apples, gherkins, gherkin juice, carrots, shallots, ham or cooked beef or veal, mayonnaise, peas, and seasonings. The vegetables are first cooked then added to the salad and once done it is chilled.

This salad was named after the salad that the Hussars, the Hungarian cavalry used to make. Since they usually went behind enemy lines they used pre-cooked food so that they could mix it up right away to make the salad.

A traditional Russian salad is Mimosa. It is made by layering various ingredients and separating each layer with mayonnaise. It is a combination of canned and mashed fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon or trout, hard-boiled eggs, onions, crumbled cheese and at times boiled potatoes and carrots. All of the ingredients used in the salad are grated and the final layer includes the hard-boiled eggs. This makes the salad similar to the spring flowers it is named for and garnished with dill before serving.

Asia

Goi bo is a traditional Vietnamese salad. It is a combination of beef, lime juice, fish sauce, chilli sauce, chilli peppers, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro, mint, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and watercress. The beef used should be top or bottom round and sliced, marinated and grilled before added to the salad. The dressing is a mixture of lime juice, fish sauce, chilli sauce, and sugar. Traditionally the salad is served while the beef is still hot.

Lalap or Lalab is a traditional salad from Indonesia originating in West Java. There is no real recipe for this salad but it is usually made with raw vegetables like tomatoes, lemon basil, green eggplants, cucumbers, cabbage, long beans, blanched or boiled chayote, spinach, papaya leaves, water spinach, and cassava leaves. The salad is served cold or at room temperature and accompanied by sambal terasi dipping sauce. It can also be served with fried fish or fried chicken.

Snezhanka or Snow White is a salad that was named after its white color. It is a delicious and refreshing salad that combines cucumbers, garlic, dill, oil, salt, and yogurt. Walnuts, roasted peppers, and chopped parsley can be added to this salad. It is always served cold as a salad and can be served as an appetizer or meze, side dish, or a dip for pita bread. When served as a meze it is usually accompanied by alcoholic beverages.

Selat solo another Indonesian dish that originated as a European salad and was adapted to Javanese tastes, The salad comes from Central Java and is a combination of beef tenderloin, onions, soy sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, shallots, cloves, nutmeg, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, and vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, potatoes, and green beans. The vegetables and eggs are layered on the plate with the meat put over them and the watery soup poured on top of the meat. It is traditionally served with mayonnaise on the side and can be eaten as a main meat dish, a salad or a soup.

From Kazakhstan comes the traditional salad Shalgam. It is a combination of grated radish, carrots, bell peppers, onions, and garlic. Then mixed with white wine vinegar, sugar, oil salt, and cayenne pepper, It is served cold or at room temperature and usually accompanied by beshbarmak, a traditional meat dish.

Kosambari is a popular salad that comes from the Indian state of Karnataka. It is made with split legumes like Bengal gram and green gram and seasoned with mustard seeds. It has become a well-liked appetizer at feasts and celebrations. Most temples offer the salad as Prasada, a religious offering, Kosambari can be flavored with cucumber slices or rice and can also be served as an appetizer, healthy main meal, or snack.

Africa

Azila is a well-known salad from Ethiopia. It is a mixture of green lentils, chopped tomatoes, and onions. The salad is seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Before serving it is often garnished with toasted almonds and chopped olives. Traditionally it is served chilled and can be accompanied by various meat or fish dishes. The salad can also be used to fill pita bread.

Taktouka is a Moroccan salad that is healthy and nutritious. It is a mixture of cooked tomatoes and green peppers that have been pureed. It is often served as a side dish with grilled meat or fish. It can also be served as a dip with crusty bread, Taktouka can be garnished with freshly chopped parsley or coriander and drizzled with olive oil.

From Tunisia comes Mechouia a salad the is made with chopped tomatoes, peppers, and garlic then drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with caraway seeds, salt, and black pepper, It is garnished with hard-boiled eggs, olives, or tuna, This salad can be served on its own or served on toasted bread or baguette slices. In traditional restaurants, Mechouia can be found as an appetizer,