I was twelve years old the first time I ever ate a salad. In fact, before that year, I am not sure I really knew what a salad was. My mom was a pretty no-nonsense kind of cook, and we ate a lot of easy meals that mom could make in her sleep. But when I was twelve, she was dating a man who had fancier food tastes than we had typically been able to support on a single-parent budget, and we started eating salad.
Fast-forward a lot of years that I won’t tally up for you, and I am now a fan of salads. Thank goodness for that fancy-food man, who eventually became my step-dad. The biggest turning point came when I discovered that salads can be made with greens other than iceberg lettuce. It was an evolutionary step on my culinary timeline to learn that some lettuce actually has flavor and texture and doesn’t require half a cup of salad dressing to make it palatable.
This recipe for Yum Salad is a variation on a dish I get at my local Thai restaurant. I love the flavor of the dressing – a complex mingling of sweet, savory, tangy and spicy. It is a great base for any protein you want to add, but I chose some boneless pork chops when I made it this week.
/Most restaurants will serve this salad over iceberg lettuce, which immediately starts to get floppy once the dressing is applied. I use fresh spinach and arugula to add body to the greens. The peppery flavor of the arugula also comes through to up the flavor quotient. I add tomatoes to mine, and if you don’t have chiles available, you can substitute a squirt of sriracha.
- 1.5 pounds boneless pork chops
- ½ Tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¼ cup shallot or sweet onion, sliced thin
- 3 Tablespoon chopped cilantro (leaves and stems)
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 3-4 cups arugula and spinach greens
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 2 Thai chiles, minced (or 1 Tablespoon sriracha)
- 2 Tablespoons very thinly sliced lemongrass
- 1.5 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2.5 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Start by crushing the garlic (this is why the press is helpful), and smashing it together with the chile peppers on your cutting board. You can use a knife to do this or a small spoon.
- After you slice the lemongrass, bruise it a bit with the dull side of your knife to help draw out the oils that are full of flavor. Put the garlic paste in a small bowl and add lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar. Whisk together and set aside as you work on the rest of the dish. All those flavors will start to come together and your kitchen will smell amazing.
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan and add protein of your choice – in this case, pork. If you’re using pork or chicken, cook the meat thoroughly on both sides. For beef, it’s okay to leave it a little pink in the middle. Remove from pan and let the meat rest for a few minutes while you spread your greens over your platter.
- Once your meat has rested, slice it into thin strips, place in a large bowl, and add the shallots, cilantro, tomatoes and cucumber. Pour dressing over the meat and veggies and toss until everything is covered.
- Spoon meat and veggie mix over the greens on your platter, pour any dressing in the bowl over the top, and serve alone, or with rice on the side.
- This dish keeps well in the fridge, and would make a great wrap for lunch the next day!
Getting to Know Your ARWB Foodies
Laurie Marshall
Junque Rethunque
See Laurie Write
What food reminds you of childhood?
Tuna fish patties and Kraft mac and cheese. We were on a budget, and my mother made tuna patties (croquets to the fancy people) often. They had crushed saltines in them and were crispy golden brown on the outside. Mom had certain combinations of foods that were always served together, and Kraft mac and cheese was always a side dish for the tuna patties. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to get my family to appreciate the perfection of this dish.
What is your favorite international cuisine?
Indian, Thai and Mexican – I love the meaty-ness of the dishes, contrasted with complex spice and herbs. I could eat these every day for every meal and be perfectly content.
What is always in your refrigerator at home?
Eggs, half-n-half, and 384 jars of pickles and mustards. I’m not sure what’s up with that last one…
What is your most used cookbook?
Epicurious.com, to be honest… although most of my cooking is done by the seat of my pants. I do have a cookbook from the 20s that has my grandmother’s name embossed on it. The name was put on when it was rebound at some point. There are not a ton of recipesin it that I want to try, but I love love love having it. 🙂
What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
Hmmm… I am pretty low-tech, really. I use my vegetable peeler a lot, but my blender and food processor get dusty. If a crock pot is a gadget, that’s probably my favoritebecause of how it saves my butt when I am too busy to spend time preparing a meal.
Do you have a favorite food indulgence?
Locally roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate. My husband has a sweet tooth but doesn’t like dark chocolate, so those two things are about the only things I can keep around that I know he won’t steal.
What is your go-to ingredient that you use time and time again?
I have been putting curry powder in everything lately, and enjoying the sweetness it adds to spicy dishes. But my home-canned tomatoes are always easy to grab as an ingredient for something awesome.
What is your favorite food meal to cook at home?
This changes all the time (remember, I said I fly by the seat of my pants). But a couple of favorites are homemade chicken pot pie and crock pot pork roast with rotel and potatoes.
What is a cooking tip that you would like to share with beginning cooks?
Watch Food Network. Seriously – I have become so much more experimental (successfully, too!) since I have become of fan of shows like Top Chef and Chopped. I discover new ingredients, which I will probably never use, but they talk about combining flavors and ingredients and that has helped me learn what to play with in my own kitchen. Also, the measurements listed in the recipe are important. That’s all I will say about that.
When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes?
I am a writer and artist, and love to be making and creating something. My family and I enjoy getting out and hiking on local trails, and I am a big movie buff – love to binge watch movies, but I hardly ever have time.
What else would you like us to know about you?
My mantra, which may be a good reminder to others – “It’s never to late to be what you might have been.” It’s a quote by the writer George Elliot, and it rings true with me every single day. There are things we put off as moms and we need to remember that no matter what you are focused on today – kids, family, work, parents who need you… you can continue to make tiny steps forward and one day those steps will add up and you will be on top of a hill you thought you would never be able to climb. Keep moving. 🙂
Connect with Laurie:
Twitter JunqueRethunque
Twitter LaurieMMarshall
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Pinterest Laurie Marshall
In addition to her love for a perfectly turned phrase, Laurie Marshall has a passion for reusing and repurposing, and may get a little too excited about power tools and the wall of paint chips at her local h
Laurie lives in Northwest Arkansas where her mother was a majorette in the high school band and her grandmother inspired her love for homemade and handmade. She is spoiled by the availability of locally-grown foods in her community. Being the decision-maker for dinner every night wears her out, but, thanks to Food Network, she still enjoys experimenting with new flavors and concoctions. She prides herself on the fact that no one has gotten ill after eating her food.ome improvement store. She graduated from the BA program in Creative Writing at the University of Arkansas in 2007 at the ripe old age of 39, and after spending six years working at a desk job (that she loved!), she took the leap and began her freelancing career. Her work has been published on VisitRogersArkansas.com, Ta
Thanks for sharing this “yummy” salad! Thai Basil has a similar one on their menu. Have you checked them out yet?
I LOVE SALADS! My husband teases me when I tell him that I crave salad, but it’s TRUE! Thank you for a new salad recipe to try!!!
This looks delicious. I came from an iceberg-only family so I am having a tasty time testing new greens. And fish sauce? I’m a fan! Thanks for sharing.
Oh my. This sounds delicious! I love salads and am always looking for unique combinations and salad dressing ideas! Thanks for sharing:)
Meals she could make in her sleep. I love that concept. I need more of those recipes. But this salad looks amazing!
Looks amazing!
You’ve been killing me with the summer salads on instagram…thanks for finally giving your inside secrets! This one sounds yummy. I’ll always choose a dish with thai basil…just ask the men at Thai Ginger in Lowell….they already have my order ready.
Yum! This salad looks delightful!
Laurie, when I read the title I expected something completely different once I started reading your story and studying the recipe. This sounds absolutely delicious. Or, should I say absolutely yum.
Love the little interview. Now I feel like I know you better!
This looks fabulous. We love pork and I can’t wait to try the “dressing”-I have not used fish oil, so gives me an excuse to purchase a new ingredient. I love lemongrass. Yeah-putting this on the menu plan next week!
I’ve never had a salad like this. Looks pretty good. And, me too: I always have half and half in my refrigerator as well. 🙂
YUM is right! I love the addition of fish sauce…such a great savory kick!