Many think of ‘putting up’ as canning and preserving, but some of us overly worked folks, the weekend becomes a time to ‘put up’ just for the next week. Sunday cooking is one of my favorite past times. In winter, I’m making soups and stews. During these late summer days when the kitchen temps are in the 90’s, I like to ‘put up’ chilled deli style salads that can find their way into a quick sandwich or atop a bed of dressed greens. Below is my Basic Dressing, to which you can add good quality canned tuna, boiled and chopped eggs, or roast chicken meat.
SYL’S BASIC DRESSING
- 2 cups Best Foods or Hellman’s Mayonnaise
- 1 Lemon, for juice
- 1Tb. Dried Tarragon
- 1/3-cup Fresh Italian Flatleaf Parsley, chopped
- To taste Black Pepper and Salt (I don’t often add salt as the mayo is salty enough)
DIRECTIONS:
- Add mayo to mixing bowl; add juice of ½ of lemon or to taste. Add remaining ingredients. Done!
FOR SALAD:
- 3 cups Celery including all celery leaves for extra flavor, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Red Onion, regular Bermuda or Red Tropea
TUNA SALAD: use at least 3 cans of tuna in olive oil (not water) and fold into Basic Dressing; optional to add pitted and sliced black olives.
EGG SALAD: use at least 8 to 10 boiled eggs; optional: add fresh dill, minced, and chopped scallions
CHICKEN SALAD: use at least 3 cups of chopped/picked cooked chicken; optional: add pitted/sliced Kalamata olives and/or sliced fennel
NOTE: These salads can keep well refrigerated for the work week. They’re perfect for sandwiches, tucked into a pita pocket, or for atop a bed of greens or arugula on a hot summer night. Each of them are delicious with peak season tomato slices served beside them.
