Scalable Composed Salad: 3 Protein Swaps and Batchable Dressings

Ingredients

• Base greens: mixed baby kale and romaine, 1.2 kg (yields 12 servings at 100 g per serving)
• Grain/legume: cooked farro or quinoa, 1.08 kg cooked (90 g per serving)
• Veg cluster: roasted red pepper, cucumber ribbons, cherry tomatoes, 840 g total (70 g per serving)
• Finishing oil: extra virgin olive oil, 120 ml
• Herb garnish: chopped parsley and chives, 60 g
• Protein A - Seared Salmon: 1.5 kg skin-on portions (12 x 125 g portions), salt, pepper, neutral oil
• Protein B - Roast Chicken Thigh: 1.5 kg boneless thigh trimmed (12 x 125 g portions), olive oil, smoked paprika, salt
• Protein C - Spiced Chickpeas: 1.2 kg cooked chickpeas (12 x 100 g portions), cumin, smoked paprika, olive oil
• Vinaigrette (batch): white wine vinegar 300 ml, olive oil 600 ml, Dijon mustard 45 g, honey 30 g, salt 18 g, black pepper 5 g
• Creamy Herb Dressing (batch): Greek yogurt 600 g, mayonnaise 200 g, lemon juice 100 ml, chopped herbs 80 g, salt 12 g, water to adjust consistency

Steps

1. 1Batch prep: Make vinaigrette and creamy herb dressing the day before service. Chill to 4 C and label with date and batch yield.
2. 2Greens and grains: Wash and spin-dry greens, store cold. Cook farro/quinoa to al dente, chill in shallow pans and cover.
3. 3Veg cluster: Roast peppers and cool, slice cucumbers into ribbons, halve cherry tomatoes and hold cold.
4. 4Salmon: Portion salmon, season lightly. Sear skin-side down in batches until crisp, finish in 175 C oven 5 minutes to reach 52 to 55 C internal. Cool on racks and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or keep hot in covered pans for service.
5. 5Chicken thigh: Season thighs, roast at 200 C until 74 C internal, rest, then slice into attackable portions. Hold hot in covered pans or cool and reheat on service line.
6. 6Chickpeas: Toss cooked chickpeas with oil and spices, roast at 200 C until slightly crisp, cool and hold room temp for up to 6 hours or chill for longer storage.
7. 7Portioning: Pre-weigh or use scoops for greens, grain, veg and proteins. Place portion cards at each station. Dressings go into labeled 1 liter bottles or hotel pans for quick access.
8. 8Assembly: On expeditor line place greens, add grain at 2 o'clock, veg cluster at 6 o'clock, protein at 10 o'clock, drizzle dressing 30 ml vinaigrette or 45 ml creamy, finish with a 5 ml oil or herb sprinkle.
9. 9Quality control: Check temperature and appearance. Hot proteins should be 60 C or above if held hot. Cold components should be 4 to 8 C.
10. 10Storage notes: Refrigerate unused dressings for up to 5 days. Cooked poultry and fish should be used within 24 hours when cooked ahead and cooled.

Tips

• →Scale dressings by volume. A small table is: 1 part acid, 2 parts oil for vinaigrette; adjust mustard and honey for stability.
• →Use a heat lamp or covered well to keep hot proteins at service temperature without drying.
• →Pre-slice proteins on a rail so finishers can place pieces without a knife.
• →Label hotel pans with cook times and batch yields so line cooks can rotate stock.
• →Trial the assembly with the expeditor to hit the 30 second per bowl target before peak service.