We all have a flavor from our childhood that stays strong in our memory and never really leaves our taste buds. For me, most of these flavors came straight from my grandma Maria’s kitchen. It’s amazing how every time I think one of her signature dishes I can remember the sounds of her kitchen — the oil popping, the creak of the oven door, the buzz of family laughing and chattering — and grandma slicing potatoes with her silver-handled paring knife, smile on her face, and sweat on her brow.
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The dish I loved most out of that kitchen was mushroom tarragon gravy with hand cut French fries, and the salad grandma served with it was what my family calls Belgian salad. Grandma and Grandpa moved to the States from Belgium in the ‘60s, and I’m guessing that’s the only reason it got this name. It’s delicious, but I don’t imagine it’s a national dish or anything.
The salad is so simple. It’s really just about the dressing and balancing the creaminess of the mayonnaise with the zing of the vinegar. It’s also best if you let it sit for a bit before serving. Not enough to wilt, but enough to marinate. The great part about this is that you can make it ahead and not worry about tomatoes or cucumbers getting soggy while you put the finishing touches on dinner.
Speaking of soggy salad, it’s imperative to have dry lettuce leaves in any salad (or it really will be soggy). To accomplish this, I highly recommend a salad spinner. I’ve had several salad spinners over the years (most have been hand-me-downs) and while they’ve all been better than nothing, I love the one I have now. It doesn’t even require me to manually spin it, I just push the center down. (Hooray for my carpal tunnel!)
So back to the salad. It’s so simple and zingy — I hope you try it! If you do, I’d love to hear what you think of it and what you served with it in the comments below!
Maria’s Belgian Salad
Makes 6 servings
3 hearts of Romaine, washed and torn
6 scallions, thinly sliced
½ c. mayonnaise
1 T. + ½ t. white vinegar
Whisk mayonnaise and vinegar together and drizzle over washed and dried Romaine. Add scallions and toss to coat.
Enjoy!
— Funky Crunchy Mama
