improv your salad
it's a play on words. mixing things up (no pun intended)
Last month I dipped my toes back into improv. I used to perform when I lived in Los Angeles, but when I left I never kept up with it. Over the years I have realized how some of the rules of improv have helped me in life. Agreement and support are among the strongest examples that not only help make improv less clunky, but if applied everyday can make life more enjoyable. Since I’ve been creating scenes with my fellow classmates at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) I realized I’ve changed as an improviser and as a person.
I used to think that the success of a scene was based on the chemistry between the scene partners. After a strong initiation with a unique premise, an organic scene would emerge ushering laughs and applause. In LA I found performance to be quite debilitating. What has peaked my interest to getting back on stage is the community around creating something together.
This weekly column is a solo project that brings me fulfillment in many ways. I miss the reliance on teammates and building something (creatively) together. Over the past three years artistry has been my focal point. But, having a fashion Tik Tok account, making cooking reels and writing are isolating activities. Improv has an incredible return on investment. Not only do I get to laugh and feed my soul, I also get to put my faith in strangers.
I’ve learned more about improv in the past month than I learned in the year I did improv in Los Angeles. Establishing a base reality has to be done early on in the scene to give the environment and the relationship texture. Agreement is also imperative to keeping the scene alive. Acknowledging who is the unusual and honing in on the philosophy, “if this is true, what else is true?” Framing the unusual thing and providing justification for the behavior help contextualize the character for the audience. Grounding the scene in reality with authentic reactions carries the scene into a life of it’s own.
I’m learning to trust more. I think everyone is funny, honestly. It’s a matter of pulling that out and supporting the other persons choices to find the funny. It’s magical to see two people click and “lock in” to their established world. Your imagination can see the richness of the scene and with some conviction you find yourself giggling at the silliest choices. Clapping, cheering and showing up are the actions that show you care. The rule I love the most in improv is “show, don’t tell.” Immediately when that rule is considered, laugher is guaranteed and you’ll feel closer to those around you.
Salad Philosophy
Like the rules of improv, everything is in place to help you be a better player. Once you’ve put in your time, the form can be subverted. However, I think these rules for salad making enrich the pleasure of what salad should be.
Dress lettuces and leafy greens dry. Dressing needs something to hold onto and if your greens are even the slightest bit wet, it can get swampy quick.
A good ratio for dressing is 2:1 or 3:1 fat to acid. 1:1 is rarely a fun experience. Depending on salad the ratio will change.
When using leafy lettuces or bitter greens, consider a heavier hand with fat and salt. I remember working at a restaurant once and the chef said to a line cook, “the salt and fat make sure the salad isn’t rabbity.”
If using mustard, keep in mind that mustard is made with vinegar. Therefore, you won’t need as much acid in the dressing or vinaigrette.
Fine sea salt or kosher salt are great for dressing salads because the perception of salt is greater than using flakey salt or anything coarse.
When using extra virgin olive oil, the highest quality, single estate, harvest date included on the bottle will elevate everything considerably.
When using delicate greens, toss with the tips of your fingers in a tender manner. The best way to dress a salad (in general) is with your hands.
A dressed salad doesn’t keep.
If using cut vegetables, season the salad with salt at the end to avoid bleeding and creating the dreaded swamp at the bottom of the bowl.
Consider texture. A toasted nut, a crunchy seed, a crispy crouton are all applicable here.
Don’t do too much. The pleasure of a salad is it’s simplicity. The composition shouldn’t be a “kitchen sink” endeavor rather something refined, fresh and well dressed.
Serve a salad right after it’s been dressed. Maintaining the integrity keeps the tradition of salad making alive.
When using ingredients of different weights, it’s best to dress them by their weight and assemble the salad mindfully. Many times the heavier ingredients can end up on the bottom of the mixing bowl and not apart of the salad itself.
Have fun! I say this as a reminder that food is part nourishment and part pleasure. It’s one thing to feed yourself but it’s another to feel pride at the end of a delicious meal.
Frisée Aux Lardon
This bistro classic is presented to you in the form of a method rather than an exacting recipe. I give certain quantities, however, think of this as more of a format to build confidence and intuition when it comes to salad making.
Serves 1 or 2
1 lb applewood smoked bacon, cut into 1” pieces
100g stale focaccia, country bread or rustic loaf, cut into 1” cubes
1T Dijon mustard
1T red wine vinegar
2 large eggs
white distilled vinegar, a splash
1 large head, or 2 medium sized heads of frisée lettuce. trimmed, rinsed, and dried
picked tarragon, handful
small bunch chives, thinly sliced
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Method:
In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the lardons are crispy removing from the pan. Lower the heat and toss in the cut bread. Cook for 10 minutes until evenly golden and crisped making croutons. Set bacon and croutons aside.
Use 3T of remaining bacon fat with mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt to make the dressing in a small bowl, stir to combine.
Using a medium sauce pot filled with water over medium low gently poach eggs with a splash of white vinegar. Cook the eggs until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny, around 3-5 minutes. Remove and set aside on a tray lined with paper towel.
In a large bowl add frisée with the dressing begin to toss and coat the tendrils. Keep in mind frisée will want to bunch up, use fingers to untangle. Plate the salad with the frisée as the base, followed by lardons, croutons, and picked tarragon.
Place the poached eggs in the center of the salad and then adorn the whole plate with chopped chives. Season with freshly cracked black pepper at the end. Maybe a little coarse salt on the eggs.
*Please note, salt content can go crazy here depending on the bacon, just taste as you go. Good rule of thumb overall.
Pea Shoot, Arugula and Pecorino Salad
The combination of pecorino and greens is my new spring memory. The vegetal juice bar chlorophyll grassiness works splendidly with the sharp and slightly acidic tang of pecorino. This salad in the absence of pecorino is borderline rabbit food. The fewer the ingredients, the more central they all become to supporting each other to create something extraordinary.
annoyingly I am a bit more wax poetic about this salad and how to make it. sorry in advance.
Serves 2
a robust handful of pea shoots, trimmed
a generous two handfuls of arugula, wild or baby
1 lemons zest
1/2 lemons juice
a few good gluggs of the highest quality extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
a hunk of pecorino (yes, the one from Lazio thats more expensive)
Method:
In a large bowl combine, pea shoots, arugula, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, coarse sea salt and begin to toss with the tips of your fingers. The tips will gently coat the shoots and leaves with the liquid bits forming a salad organically.
Plate the salad as high as possible keeping volume in consideration. Grate a generous amount of magnificent pecorino over the top. If you insist, maybe a little freshly cracked black pepper here, but it’s not needed considering the arugula.
