French (food idiom) Fridays: Raconter des salades
(plus my favourite salad "recipe")
raconter des salades = to tell lies/ tall tales
what does the expression “raconter des salades” mean and where does it come from?
Raconter des salades literally means “to tell salads” but is used to descibe a situation where someone is telling untruths, by embellishing a story. It comes from the idea that a salad is a mix of ingredients and, the same way we combine a few different ingredients to make a tasty dish, if we add some humour, a little bit of truth and some imagination, an untruth is (hopefully!) easier to swallow (believe).1
It’s said that a person who tells “des salades” is ommiting information or telling half truths with the goal of deceiving someone or even making fun of them.2
ceci n’est pas une salade
Did you know that the word “salade” in French refers to salad LEAVES, as in lettuce or any other (what we call) salad greens? If you want a salad, you’re looking for “une salade verte” or “une salade composée.
et maintenant, à table!
One of my favourite meals is a BIG SALAD (salade composée). Salads don’t have to be boring (hi, dad!) and a big salad is one of the best ways I know to use up bits and pieces in the fridge in the summer.
Got salad greens, tomatoes, potatoes, bacon, bread, eggs and cheese? You’ve got yourself a meal!
These types of salads are what I live on in the summer when I am in France! For sure, there is plentiful rosé, pastries and French fries (especially at those night markets), but most days, I eat much more simply, taking advantage of fresh produce, and what I have on hand.
The “recipe” if you can call it that, came about many years ago when I was studying for my MA in Paris over a series of summers, on one of those days when I looked in the fridge and briefly thought “There’s nothing to eat, I must go to the store” (because after all, I could spend hours in a French supermarket, especially if I’m supposed to be working on something else – best procrastination strategy ever!). Then I decided to pull everything in my fridge out and take a good look to see if I couldn’t figure out a meal from what I had on hand.
It turned out to be a pretty complete meal – just add baguette – and now it’s a staple in our house, not just in the summer.
I have many many photos of “big salads” I have created over the years…
don’t forget the vinaigrette!
While the salad ingredients can vary, what IS important to get right is the vinaigrette, which I have written about before. I’ve recently started making this or a version of it anytime we have a salad and it’s so satisfying (and a small batch comes together so quickly!).
When I lived in France in the mid 1990s (my gosh that dates me!), I didn’t really cook. I had a SMALL kitchenette (hello 1 tiny bar fridge, two hotplates and a sink… next to the shower!) which was perfectly fine for preparing very simply meals but not really for cooking. I also didn’t have much storage space for ingredients or equipment. So I relied on store-bought (not a huge sacrifice living in France!).
One of the products I loved back then – and still do today, was a particular brand of vinaigrette.
Even today, that’s the one I’ll have on hand when I am in France. It tastes like your classic French bistro dressing so knowing how to make it when I’m NOT in France (it’s SO EASY) is great because it can transport me back there in a flash!
The bottled dressing is made with olive oil – my version is made with vegetable oil (sunflower or canola/ rapeseed oil would work well here) but you could also use a mild olive oil – play around with the oils to find a combination that you like or that works for the dish you are serving it with. When I haven’t had enough vegetable oil, I’ve used half vegetable and half mild olive oil.
Whatever you use, this is the easiest – and because it makes only a small batch, you can whip it up virtually on demand!
get the recipes!
I shared ONE version of the “big salad” a few years ago that I’ll link to here but honestly, it’s really just a guide!
Here’s an 'unofficial’ recipe though it really depends on what you have on hand and what you like!
INGREDIENTS
Salad greens (mixed colours for prettiness!)
Tomatoes
Baked baby potatoes
Egg (poached, fried or soft/ hard boiled)
Bacon
Cheese
Cucumber
Corn kernels
Croutons (preferably homemade and fried in the bacon fat)
“METHOD”
When I am making this, I literally plate it as I am making it so I can eyeball ingredients, making just enough for the amount of people I am serving. I start with the greens and then go from there. Ask yourself “What do I like (more of) on my salad?” “What do I feel like eating more of today?” “What do I have that needs using up?”
to dress the salad…
Grab the printable recipe for my favourite French vinaigrette by clicking on the blue button!
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Thanks for reading! Until next time!
Mardi
xo
via Expressio.fr
It’s only 830 am and I’m sipping coffee and thinking how I’d happily eat that big salad RIGHT NOW…. Thank you for the vinaigrette link too. Full disclosure: if I make a vinaigrette (I often just lazily do lemon, olive oil, sea salt) I tend to…chuck all the ingredients in a small mason jar and shake it all up. Will whisking make a big difference?
Always look forward to these. Just had a funny discussion with someone about Turnips (Navet) 🤣