03 Aug 2025 Let Chef Don Bingham take you to salad summer school

Posted at 2:26 PMh in Food & Home Entertaining by

By Don Bingham

With fresh garden vegetables all around and plants in full bloom, my thoughts go straight to hearty salad options. Salads, when kept fresh, interesting and vibrant, never go out of style!

Photos by Mike Kemp

Among my favorites are the simple side salads with an amazing homemade dressing, the Cobb Salad and the Niçoise Salad. I have no doubt that you have your favorites as well! Though not necessarily a salad, I also enjoy varieties of slaws, especially the napa cabbage, thinly sliced with green onions and a lemon vinaigrette. 

I have listed some refreshing ideas for these summer months, and now that tomatoes really taste like a scrumptious Southern delicacy, there are so many more options to consider!

Pair any good salad with crusty bread – with real soft butter of course – or toast points, bread sticks, toasted cornbread, saltines, etc. Better yet, omit the carbs and enjoy a crunch support system in the salad, such as water chestnuts, cashews, pecans and toasted almonds.

“Presentation is everything” (a statement that has been around a long time and still has much merit to it)! This is a perfect time to use your favorite china, especially those clear dishes with the Depression glass greens and pinks. And use the real silver! There will be plenty of times to use the plastic and paper plates and give in to standing for the quick meal. Even with a simple but hearty salad, I’m going to decide which set of silver to use with tonight’s salad, and I may even get out the crystal for my Pepsi Zero! 

Be creative class! Take advantage of all the garden planting; the rewards are great!

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad 

3 lbs. chicken tenders 

16 oz. fusilli pasta 

2 bundles of asparagus

2 cups toasted almonds or pecans 

Spray a heavy pot with cooking spray. Place frozen chicken tenders in pot; cover with lid. Cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Drain and shred chicken into chunks with a fork; cover and set aside. Toast almonds and cool. Cook pasta al dente. Rinse asparagus and clip ends; blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Cut into 2-inch chunks and set aside. 

Prepare Sesame Ginger Dressing from the recipe below. In a large bowl, combine chicken, pasta and asparagus. Add toasted almonds and toss with the dressing.

Sesame Ginger Dressing 

4 Tbsp. sesame seeds 

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate 

1 Tbsp. sesame oil 

1/4 cup vegetable oil • 3/4 cup sugar 

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 

1 Tbsp. lemon juice • 2 tsp. garlic powder 

1 tsp. ginger • 1 tsp. kosher salt 

1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper 

In a small skillet on medium heat, toast sesame seeds for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool. In a blender, mix and then puree orange juice, sesame oil, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Pour dressing into a container; fold in toasted sesame seeds. Chill. Mix well before serving.

Cobb Salad

2 heads of romaine lettuce

2 lbs. thick-sliced, oven-roasted deli turkey 

8 hard-boiled eggs 

1 lime • 3 avocados • 3 tomatoes 

Rinse and chop hearts of romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces; chill. Slice deli turkey into half-inch cubes. Peel hard-boiled eggs and slice. Slice avocados in half and remove pit; peel and cut into small chunks. Rinse lime and slice in half. Squeeze fresh juice over avocado and toss. Clean and slice tomatoes into eight sections. Arrange salad ingredients in a glass bowl. Cover and chill before serving with dressing.

Cobb Dressing

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1 cup rice vinegar 

1 cup sugar • 1 tsp. kosher salt 

1/2 tsp. dried oregano • 1/2 tsp. dried basil 

1/2 tsp. onion salt • 1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper

Combine oil, vinegar, sugar and seasonings in a blender and mix well. Chill before serving.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. Italian spices 

3/4 cup olive oil 

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper 

Mix all ingredients in a blender and chill before serving.

Don Bingham
Latest posts by Don Bingham (see all)