Salad Brain is a creativity platform.
These exercises use the platter, rather than the typical deep salad bowl, as the canvas for creation and a means to illustrate the universal process of creative thinking and design. No matter the field, the steps of creativity are the same. Here we’re using salads because we all have some experience with salad, a low-stakes, easy medium for practicing everyday creativity. Plus, your installation will feed you beautifully and well, and shouldn’t we all be eating more salads anyway?
We call it PLATTERAL THINKING!
For an introduction to getting in touch with your salad brain, read Welcome to Salad Brain Creativity.
INGREDIENTS:
Hard-cooked eggs
Spinach
Red bell pepper pieces
Celery
Whole Mustard Seed Vinaigrette
PLATTERAL THINKING:
Change up your hard-cooked egg salads according to the season. This one looks particularly inviting for fall on that big stoneware platter. Cut the eggs into uniform pieces or tear them into irregular shapes. The sharp cuts of crunchy celery add contrast. Bell pepper in bright primary red. Spinach is just the green that keeps on giving. It has strong color and texture to hold up to the eggs. My favorite way to make deviled eggs is with whole seed dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Here the whole seed mustard adds character to a traditional vinaigrette. The little mustard balls really pop on the dressing.
WHAT IF?
Frisee anyone? That’s my first thought. And that takes me to crisp bacon pieces. Bacon and egg platter salad. My next thought is to go further with the bitter greens toward radicchio. It’s bitter and hefty and the purple would completely change the look. Nicoise. How about tuna, olives, blanched green beans. How would blanched wedges of brussels sprouts work with bacon, egg, and mustard vinaigrette.
