Your flavorful pursuits are about to get interesting because there’s a new cookbook that totally gets the concept of flavor layering that you should know about. Seriously Good Salads by Nicky Corbishley is officially available today. I received a (free) copy a couple weeks ago which has given me plenty of time to taste test this book for you. I’ll tell you all about it and share what’s inside of this stunning book cover.

I love when a cookbook showcases an entire theme (in this case: salads) because it really expands what a salad can be. Nicky Corbishley of Kitchen Sanctuary makes you feel satisfied and inspired to eat a variety of textures, flavors, and makes use of cooking techniques that transform an ordinary raw salad into a multi-dimensional experience.

You know I regularly encourage you to think about layering flavors; Nicky understands these concepts. You can see how she thinks about seasoning, texture, aromatics, heat, and balance in her recipes. Take this Salmon Sushi Salad. There’s smoked salmon, cooked rice, crunchy raw vegetables, and an aromatic umami dressing of ginger.

I taste tested this recipe for you, and as you can see, it has the visual wow-factor in real life.

Taste Test: Salmon Sushi Salad

What stood out were the detailed instructions for small knife cuts – this actually made it possible to experience many ingredients in 1 bite, not unlike eating sushi.

What I like about this sushi salad is that the flavors and seasoning are very pronounced, unexpected, savory and bright. Genius move on her part to call for smoked salmon – most people don’t have access to sushi grade fish. Plus, we know from this smoked salmon salad that I shared a week ago that the saltiness of smoked salmon acts like its own seasoning. This salad required zero salt!

As a chef and recipe developer, an under-salted dish is a tell-tale sign of an under-tested recipe. Nicky’s sushi bowl is spot on for me (my husband too), so I feel encouraged by her ability to deliver more mouthwatering combinations.

A Look Inside the Cover (Seriously Good Salads)

So, here’s a bit more about how the book is organized…

There’s 7 logical sections:

1. mighty meat and poultry
2. filling fish and seafood
3. must-try cheese and egg salads
4. nutritious grains, nuts, and seeds
5. potatoes, pasta, rice and bread for any occasion
6. fruit-based salad superstars
7. bonus salad dressings

There’s also Tips and Tricks to help you get the most out of your salad game. Sound advice like:

Go for lots of different textures. Nobody wants to chew through a salad made up purely of leaves. A variety of textures (and flavors) makes for a much more satisfying salad.

Seriously Good Salads, Nicky Corbishley

or

Serve tomatoes at room temperature–dark red tomatoes, still on the vine, are the sweetest, most flavorful kind.

Seriously Good Salads, Nicky Corbishley

Of course, texture and food storage are key elements to making food taste good, but how many people know this? Judging by the salad nay-Sayers of the world, I’d say the majority of people have never experienced a truly magnificent salad.

Too often, salads are dubbed “vegetarian food” so there’s often a shortage of meat adorned salads. Thankfully, Seriously Good Salads features both vegetarian and meaty salads alike. More importantly, these dishes are well-conceived vehicles for complex flavors that people crave. For example, she features ingredients like miso, fried cheese, dates, and nuts.

As a meat-lover, I’m grateful for the generous inclusion and spectacular variety of meat and different cooking techniques. There’s crispy fried fish, shredded ham hock, coconut shrimp, roast lamb, blackened salmon, and even a slow-roasted Chinese duck.

Obviously, this girl can cook and if you are looking for a variety of salads that expand your palate, then this book is for you.

I’m so excited this book is finally available because I’ve been wanting to share it with you ever since I received it a couple weeks ago. It’s available on Amazon: Seriously Good Salads (affiliate link). Let me know in the comments what you think of this sushi salmon salad or if you try any of her other recipes. I’ve got my eye on the Buttermilk Chicken salad!

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