Insalada

ah, the salad as meal.

Is it truly possible? When eating alone, certainly.

When preparing for others, not so certainly.

For me at least. You see, I am uncomfortable serving guests who have a hearty appetite a simple salad. Imagine one with peeled carrots, thinly sliced cuke, some avocado, the best olio, sel de la mer, freshly crushed pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

But why not steak, fish, or grilled chicken on top of this salad? And why not a cobb salad-so-filling with all the meaty cold cuts and cheeses, hard boiled egg and chopped bacon waiting underneath large lethal croutons?

Yes, these are all good options, but they're tried and true. So what happens if we experiment to find something new?


There must be a compendium of salads both hearty and light for both men and women to enjoy simultaneously. But where?

Men's Health has a recipe database~not so easily searchable, but still~there are some good ideas. I'd like to try the beer-broiled pork tenderloin. But wait, that's not salad.

Most men's salads online include bacon {usually the first ingredient}, iceberg lettuce, and an assortment of veggies chopped or diced. Which is quite bothersome, and not for the work a chef has to do, but for the work to get the diced pieces to the mouth... shouldn't a spoon or spatula be served with this type of meal? How can one get enough on their fork without it falling off from table to tongue?

Dicing is for salsas and soffritos, it's for soups and sauces, guacamoles and dressings.

Bigger bite-sized pieces are more pleasing to place in one's mouth. Consider the consistency and flavors flying when one has to chew a little. The crunch and burst of juices from vegetables can be an adventure all its own. But with dicing, all a large eater might do is swallow and miss out on every bite.