Simple, Sensational Salads

You love your freshly cut salad with rosy red tomatoes and crispy crunchy cucumbers. But why not go mad and make something different. Variety is the spice of life, so they say. Salads are no exception. Here are some salad recipes to tantalize your taste buds:

1. Chicken and Pear Salad with Wasabi Dressing

Poach four skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. For the dressing, whisk mayonnaise, rice vinegar and wasabi powder, sesame oil, 1/2 tablespoon of water, salt and pepper. Toss the lettuce with the pear slices, cucumber, scallions, bean sprouts and 2/3 of the wasabi dressing. Slice the chicken breasts and lay on top of the salad. Spoon the remaining wasabi over the chicken breasts and add a topping of some crunchy wasabi peas.

2. Fresh Tuna with Fennel Salad and Avocado.

Combine olive oil, fennel seeds and peppercorns, bring to a simmer in a small saucepan and add the tuna for 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Blend mayonnaise with anchovies, capers, garlic and fresh lemon juice. Stir celery, onion and olives into the dressing. Break the tuna into pieces and fold into the dressing. Add four avocado halves, pea shoots or alfalfa sprouts. Top it with coarse salt.

3. Melon and Peach Salad with Mozzarella.

In a bowl, toss the melon and peach with sesame oil and vin cotto. Season with salt, pepper and mozzarella. Transfer the salad to a platter and top with dried herbs, rosemary and thyme.


All these salads are easily prepared at home, and you can make your life even easier if you store the toppings, the wasabi powder, the wasabi peas, the coarse salt, and dried rosemary and thyme in IDM's storage and dispensing units. Enjoy your meal!