Salmagundi: A Celebration of Salads from Around the World, written by Sally Butcher, features a collection of 150 salad recipes with flavors inspired from all over the world. A few highlights include Bok L’Hong (Sour Green Papaya Salad), Rujak (Spicy Sumatran Fruit Salad) Avocado Shrimp Jello Salad, Steak and Fries Salad, and Mauritian Palm Heart Salad. I will also be sharing her recipe for Bavarian-Style Kartoffelsalat following the post.
Disclosure: I received this book from Interlink Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Sally Butcher
Sally Butcher is a food writer and proprietress of the Persian food store and café, Persepolis, in Peckham, London with her husband, Jamshid.
She is the author of multiple cookbooks including Persepolis, Veganistan, Persia in Peckham, The New Middle Eastern Vegetarian, and New Middle Eastern Street Food.
Salmagundi
Sally begins Salmagundi with an overview and a brief history of salads. The name Salmagundi comes from the 17th-century English expression of a salad that has everything and you will definitely find a little bit of everything in this book- including an excerpt of a document describing the preparation of the Salmagundi.
There are facts and tidbits throughout the book to assist in your salad preparation, from herb and root vegetable guides to tips on urban foraging and growing your own garden.
Chapters are divided based on main ingredient: Herbs and Leaves, Vegetables, Roots and Squash, Peas and Beans, Grains and Pasta, Rice, Cheese, Fish, Meat, Fruity Salads, Salads for Dessert, Dips: The Not-Quite-Salad Salad, The Dressing Room, and the Prop Cupboard.
The prop cupboard lists ways to add something extra to your salad: croutons, sprinkles and crunchies (i.e. granola or fried legumes), homemade bacon bits, edible flowers, herbs, nuts, seeds, and other flavorings. It also has a guide for fruit and vegetable carving to boost presentation. These sections help build your own salad making skills and imagination.
The photography is provided by Yuki Sugiura. Many of the recipes are accompanied by a beautifully-styled full page photo of the finished dish.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Every recipe includes a headnote with an introduction, background information, tips, substitutions, and serving ideas for the dish. Instructions are straightforward and easy to follow.
Bavarian-Style Kartoffelsalat
Today, I am sharing Sally’s version of a Bavarian-Style Kartoffelsalat! Inspired by the flavors of Southeastern Germany, this potato salad is packed with an assortment of comforting flavors.
Start by boiling potatoes just until cooked, then peel and cut into slices. Season the slices with an oil-vinegar-broth dressing and toss with bacon, sliced onions, and parsley.
Sally added a few optional extras: smoked cheese, red apples, and dill pickles. You can use one or enjoy them all. She recommends serving the Bavarian-Style Kartoffelsalat with sauerkraut, kimchi, and/or beer.
Other Salads
I also made A Winter Herb Salad: Carrot and Crispy Kale, Hail Caesar (Caesar Salad), Mustard Dog Salad, and Ricotta with Honey and Papaya.
The Carrot and Crispy Kale Salad was Chad’s favorite from the book. The kale and carrots are tossed with olive oil, caraway, and fennel seeds, then roasted until crisp. The salad is seasoned with pepitas, apple strips, smoked cheese, mixed fresh herbs, and an apple cider pomegranate dressing.
Garlic lovers will enjoy Sally’s version of the Caesar Salad. Before preparing the salad, minced garlic is soaked in olive oil overnight. This garlic-infused oil is then brushed over cubes of bread to make croutons. The remaining oil is combined with a coddled egg, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper to create the dressing. It is then served over romaine lettuce with the croutons and freshly grated Parmesan.
The Mustard Dog Salad was quite the interesting and delicious dish. Grilled sausages are tossed with carrots, white cabbage, cherry tomatoes, and frisee. The dressing has a bit of a kick with cayenne, sour cream, ketchup, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce and is served with sandwich-like onion-filled croutons seasoned with English mustard.
We actually enjoyed the Ricotta with Honey and Papaya as a part of our breakfast one weekend morning. This salad comes together quickly, in roughly 5 minutes. Slices of papaya and ricotta are arranged on a platter, topped with a honey orange sauce and fresh mint.
Salmagundi is a great choice for those wanting to add international flavors and combinations to their salads. The recipes range from appetizers to desserts, superfoods and lighter options to less so, spring to winter. You will find incredibly simple dishes from the five ingredient Cahoo va Sekanjebin: Lettuce Steaks with Mint Syrup to the more complex modern equivalent to salmagundi: the Guatemalan Fiambre with 43 ingredients.
Many of the recipes include ingredients that are easily found in the average American grocery store, but a few may require a trip to the International food market or purchasing online such as sumac, harissa paste, mace, pomegranate molasses, cardamom pods, and labneh.
Bavarian-Style Kartoffelsalat Recipe
Adapted from Salmagundi: A Celebration of Salads from Around the World
Bavarian-Style Kartoffelsalat
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 grams) firm potatoes such as red skinned or waxy salad potatoes
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- 6 slices thick streaky bacon cubed
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1/2 cup (125 milliliters) beef stock
- 1/4 cup scant (50 milliliters) canola or sunflower oil
- 1/4 cup scant (50 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- handful fresh flat leaf parsley chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional Toppings:
- 5 1/2 ounces (150 grams) smoked cheese cut into tiny cubes
- 2 small red apples cored and cubed
- 6 dill pickles
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender but still firm. Drain and allow to cool until about to be handled.
- In a skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat.
- Add the bacon and cook until heated through and lightly crisp. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon. If using the optional smoked cheese, toss it with the bacon.
- Add the sliced onion to the skillet and cook until translucent and golden. Transfer to the top of the plate of bacon. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into half moon slices. Place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together beef stock, oil, vinegar, and bacon fat. Pour over the potato slices.
- Gently toss in the bacon and onions, parsley, and apples and pickles if using. Do not overmix and mash the potatoes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Sisley
I love the addition of apples in the salad! It’s all so delicious.