There are a few salads out there that most people can stand behind….. Caesar salad, greek salad, Caprese salad, Cobb salad, and must we not forget…. the chopped salad. It may even be in a world of its own. An umbrella term for a variety of combinations. Ubiquitous across cultures and time. Dare I say it….. the chopped salad may be the ultimate salad. Here’s why….
At a high level, it comes down to two main points.
1.) Almost all chopped salads can keep for AT LEAST a day and some get even better with age!
2.) They’re a fantastic way to use up leftovers in the fridge. It can be a masterclass in flavor combinations and near expired ingredient recitation.
Really the only rules when it comes to chopped salad is ….. do I even have to say it…. chopping your ingredients. I think building a chopped salad is a fantastic way to educate yourself in the world of salad building. A key skill to have in the time of increasingly high salad prices and instagramable olive oils.
I’m going to keep this very simple…… for me a chopped salad is all about texture and size. You want something crunchy, easy to eat, and addicting. I like to start with a heartier green… like cabbage, endive, kale, or radicchio. Add in some of your classic chopped veggies like carrot, tomato, cucumber, celery, and onion. Bring in something nutty. Maybe add a seasonal fruit (apple or persimmon). And lastly I always throw in something from a jar or a can. Typically something brined or pre-seasoned like olives, artichoke hearts, or peppers. If you want to make it a bit heartier add in some beans or maybe even a tin of fish.
The Salad
This chopped salad is really all Persimmons. We’re using both popular varieties of persimmon in the US, the Hachiya and the Fuyu. The hachiya are typically larger and when ripe are pretty much too juicy to even cut. delectably sweet when ripe, they are the perfect partner to a bitter green, like raddichio. Buttermilk dressing feels old school and is definitely on brand with my current nostalgic dining obsessions. We aren’t talking about ranch here….. I remember having a buttermilk dressing at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland when I visited on a press trip with Kerrygold. I loved how a single ingredient could provide both creaminess and acidity. I was sold.
I have a pet peeve with salads….. I'm always a bit mad when I order a salad and the cheese is just a garnish on top. This sparked the incorporation of the goat cheese into the dressing rather than the salad, ensuring you have that tangy rich punch with each bite.
The chopped salad universe is vast and constantly expanding. As much as I love the recipe below (and would love for you to make it), I urge you to set out on your own journey of chopped discovery. Scouring the depths of your pantry and fridge for exciting additions to your canvas of delectable bite-sized mélange.