# Making spicy salads?



## VIDEODROME (Jul 28, 2005)

I made a basic salad with tuna and shredded cheese with some garlic vinegar along with cottage cheese on the side.  I was in the mood for strong flavor so I seasoned with some Mrs. Dash and some Zatarain's Cayenne Pepper.  It was okay spice wise but seemed like it was missing something.  I think feta cheese would have improved it.  I think the feta and cayenne flavors would compliment eachother.  When I seasoned it I also put cayenne on the cottage cheese and I thought that tasted good.  

Anyone else recommend any stronger flavors for seasonings and dressings?  

Another thought I had was to just buy a brick of habenero pepper jack cheese and break off pieces of it into the salad.


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## luvs (Jul 28, 2005)

i love my green curry paste.


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## ironchef (Jul 28, 2005)

> Anyone else recommend any stronger flavors for seasonings and dressings?


 
It really depends on what type of heat you're looking for, and are you referring to just salads or in general? For the time being, I'm going to assume you're just talking about salads and salad dressings.

If you want to add just pure heat to the dressing, then fresh peppers like Jalapenos, Serranos, Scotch Bonnets, etc. will do the job just fine. Fresh Habanero or bottled habanero sauce will work great if you are looking for unadulterated pure fire. Thinly sliced or shaved fresh peppers added directly to the salad will give another dimmension as well. Not every bite will be spicy as opposed to blending it into a dressing which will make every bite have some heat. When you do bite into the pepper however, you will get a more intense heat. Try other powdered chilis besides cayenne. Pasilla is one of my favorites and New Mexico chili is pretty good too. There's also a Japanese Chili powder called "Togarashi Shichimi" which is blend of seven spices (not all chilis). There's like orange peel, sesame seed, seaweed, etc.

If you're looking for spicyness with more depth, then the two obvious flavors to add would be ancho and chipotle. Because both are smoked/dried, they've developed another level in flavor which you can add to the dressing. 

Like Luvs mentioned, Thai curry would also work, but it would be better to use in a creamy type dressing. I've made a Thai Curry potato salad using different types of potatoes (New, Fingerling, Yukon Gold, Sweet) and they've all had good flavor. You could use it in a vinaigrette but you get a lot more leeway in a creamy dressing because it's easier to fix.

Various hot chili pastes could also be incorporated into the dressing. Most Asian cuisines have their own chili pastes with a distinct flavor. A lot goes a long way so don't add too much at first. Try using the Korean (Ko Chu Jang) style chili paste. 

Whatever you do, just remember that you can always add more heat, but you can't take it away without compromising flavor somehow.


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## VIDEODROME (Aug 11, 2005)

Thanks.  I still have to look up some of that stuff at the store.  I'm mostly interested in the Pasilla and the Japanese one.  


Today for work I made a basic chicken salad with garlic vinegar dressing.  Again I went with cayenne but this time I had the Feta cheese to add and I do think the two flavors complimented eachother.


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## Piccolina (Aug 11, 2005)

Horse-radish perhaps? Or a strong (hot) mustard


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## VIDEODROME (Aug 12, 2005)

Horseradish is a good idea.  I'll get some next time I go shopping.  

Also I do like mustard a lot but never thought about dressing a salad with it.  I'll think about that one.


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## Haggis (Aug 12, 2005)

Dijon mustard goes great with a herb and red wine vinegar vinaigrette.

Its my most used salad dressing, I just vary the herbs (parsley/rosemary/basil/oregano/thyme) and acidic ingredient (red wine vinegar/white wine vinegar/lemon juice) I use for variety. It goes greak over a greek salad, or simple green salad.

Dijon, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil is great tossed through a warm potato and avocado salad. The warm potatoes just soak up the dressing.


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## ironchef (Aug 12, 2005)

ICadvisor said:
			
		

> Horse-radish perhaps? Or a strong (hot) mustard


 
Mustard would work to some degree, but then you would taste mainly mustard as the predominant flavor since you'd have to add so much of it to get a significant amount of heat. Wasabi or Colman's mustard would do the job, but then you'd have to be looking for a certain type of flavor in your dressing to use those.


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## shantihhh (Aug 12, 2005)

*spicy salad dressings*

 The classic dressing that the French make is a comination of vinegar, salad oil and disjon.  It is fabulous and never over powering.  Sometimes I use part olive oil, also sometimes white balsamic vingar or tarragon champagne vinegar.  The quality of the mustard is what makes it so good!

Mary-Anne



			
				ironchef said:
			
		

> Mustard would work to some degree, but then you would taste mainly mustard as the predominant flavor since you'd have to add so much of it to get a significant amount of heat. Wasabi or Colman's mustard would do the job, but then you'd have to be looking for a certain type of flavor in your dressing to use those.


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## shantihhh (Aug 12, 2005)

*kicked up dressings*

 Fresh grated horseradish is great in salads, but try real wasabi!  Freshly grated wasabi (not the powdered green coloured horseradish) can be found in Japanese markets.

Also Yuzu juice makes for a lovely dressing.

Mary-Anne



			
				VIDEODROME said:
			
		

> Horseradish is a good idea. I'll get some next time I go shopping.
> 
> Also I do like mustard a lot but never thought about dressing a salad with it. I'll think about that one.


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## ironchef (Aug 12, 2005)

shantihhh said:
			
		

> The classic dressing that the French make is a comination of vinegar, salad oil and disjon. It is fabulous and never over powering. Sometimes I use part olive oil, also sometimes white balsamic vingar or tarragon champagne vinegar. The quality of the mustard is what makes it so good!
> 
> Mary-Anne


 
Thanks for the tip. However, the question was how to make a spicy salad dressing, not how to make a classic vinaigrette. Dijon mustard will not give you a spicy salad dressing unless you are willing to make that the predominant flavor. The dijon in the original recipe was for a little bit of flavor as the base, but mainly to help in stabilizing the emulsification because without it, the droplets of oil and vinegar will seperate.


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## ironchef (Aug 12, 2005)

shantihhh said:
			
		

> Fresh grated horseradish is great in salads, but try real wasabi! Freshly grated wasabi (not the powdered green coloured horseradish) can be found in Japanese markets.
> 
> Also Yuzu juice makes for a lovely dressing.
> 
> Mary-Anne


 
Thank you for re-posting my wasabi suggestion. 

However, as I noted, wasabi will NOT give you the spicyness you're looking for if your goal is to obtain the type of heat found in different types of peppers. Wasabi goes straight to the back of the throat and your nose so depending on the type of flavor he wants, wasabi may or may not be a great idea. Also, if he were to purchase fresh Japanese horseradish, he would need to use it all within a certain time frame because of it's perishability. Also, it is harder to use in terms of controlling the heat and flavor for those not used to working with it. Wasabi in paste or powdered form would be much better to use, especially for those who are only going to be using small amounts of it, and for those who are unfamiliar with using the ingedient in different recipes.


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## shantihhh (Aug 13, 2005)

*real wasabi*

 Real wasabi does not come in a powdered form. Wasabi powder is available in most grocery stores and is also used in most sushi restaurants in the U.S.  The powder is not real Wasabi at all.  The primary ingredient is horseradish powder, which has a hot flavor that has been passed off as wasabi. It's convenient and inexpensive but tastes nothing like real Wasabi You are referring to this horseradish died green.  Real wasabi is a root grown in running water.  It can also be purchased in a plastic cone shaped container in the frozen section of your Japanese Market.  The flavour and heat is unmistakable.

Fresh wasabi root freshly grated is quite a treat.

Mary-Anne



			
				ironchef said:
			
		

> Thank you for re-posting my wasabi suggestion.
> 
> However, as I noted, wasabi will NOT give you the spicyness you're looking for if your goal is to obtain the type of heat found in different types of peppers. Wasabi goes straight to the back of the throat and your nose so depending on the type of flavor he wants, wasabi may or may not be a great idea. Also, if he were to purchase fresh Japanese horseradish, he would need to use it all within a certain time frame because of it's perishability. Also, it is harder to use in terms of controlling the heat and flavor for those not used to working with it. Wasabi in paste or powdered form would be much better to use, especially for those who are only going to be using small amounts of it, and for those who are unfamiliar with using the ingedient in different recipes.


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## ironchef (Aug 14, 2005)

shantihhh said:
			
		

> Real wasabi does not come in a powdered form. Wasabi powder is available in most grocery stores and is also used in most sushi restaurants in the U.S. The powder is not real Wasabi at all. The primary ingredient is horseradish powder, which has a hot flavor that has been passed off as wasabi. It's convenient and inexpensive but tastes nothing like real Wasabi You are referring to this horseradish died green. Real wasabi is a root grown in running water. It can also be purchased in a plastic cone shaped container in the frozen section of your Japanese Market. The flavour and heat is unmistakable.
> 
> Fresh wasabi root freshly grated is quite a treat.
> 
> Mary-Anne


 
And your point is....


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## shantihhh (Aug 15, 2005)

*response to wasbi thread*



			
				ironchef said:
			
		

> And your point is....[/QUOTE
> 
> That real wasabi makes a great ingredient for a salad dressing.  I used it last night on sea beans and cherry tomatoes as a garnish for grilled wild fresh Copper River Salmon.
> 
> ...


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## Piccolina (Aug 15, 2005)

> I used it last night on sea beans and cherry tomatoes as a garnish for grilled wild fresh Copper River Salmon.


 (Sorry to stray OT) but can I ask what are "sea beans"?

p.s.
Your supper sounds like it was delicious and quite healthy.


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## ironchef (Aug 15, 2005)

shantihhh said:
			
		

> ironchef said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## shantihhh (Aug 16, 2005)

*sea beans*

Sea beans are a very interesting vegetable.  I first had them at a Canadian Indian (as in Native Canadian) restaurant in Vancover, BC about 6 or 7 years ago.

They are *also known as pousse-pierre, salicornia, glasswort,  samphire, marsh samphire  and sea pickle.   *

  These crisp, salty sprigs make terrific garnishes.  They're sometimes available fresh in the summer.   If not, look for a pickled version in specialty food shops.  I haven't eaten the pickled variety yet. 

They are quite nice in a salad of either mushrooms-raw sliced, or with tomatoes.  They have a natural saltiness and a little dressing is perfect.  I used a Thai style slightly spicy dressing.

Whole Foods here and other upscale markets carry them in the SF Bay Area.  They cost $10# but you only need a few to add some zap in a garnish or a small garnish type salad.



			
				ICadvisor said:
			
		

> (Sorry to stray OT) but can I ask what are "sea beans"?
> 
> p.s.
> Your supper sounds like it was delicious and quite healthy.


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## nytxn (Aug 16, 2005)

I haven't read all the responses, but I like ceaser's salad with a little cayenne and extra black pepper tossed into the mix. 


Instead of those, try a little (or a lot) of Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning on it.


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## VIDEODROME (Aug 17, 2005)

Well last time I got groceries I picked up a Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle blend. It's a mix of red peppers, cayenne pepper, and chipotle chili peppers along with onion, roasted garlic, and some lime. 

I also bought two different Paul Newman dressings(one vinagrette, one honey mustard), some cucumber, roasted garlic pieces, radishes, some eggs that I'll hard boil later, and some canned tuna n' chicken.

Oh yeah and more crumbled Feta cheese and some shredded sharp cheddar.  I find I like the mix of spicy food with some dairy.


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## shantihhh (Aug 18, 2005)

*chipotle dressing*

Have you tried making dressings using chipotle either en adobo or powder? The smokiness makes a nice roasty heat for salads. Lime goes well with this. Good with fresh heirloom tomatoes, feta, cukes, sliced red onions, the works.


You can always add some Red Savina powder to most dressings to make them take notice.

Just a thought from a ChileHead.


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## Ishbel (Aug 18, 2005)

Samphire is very popular here in the UK. I posted about it a while ago.  It is more often served with fish as it is a plant which grows on the coast.

My husband adores it, and during its short season here, eats it as often as he can.


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## VIDEODROME (Aug 25, 2005)

Just wanted to chime in here and say that I've been enjoying the recommendations.  I recently picked up a jar of chipotle flakes and I really like both the spice level and the kind of flavor it has.  Really good stuff.


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