
Salmagundi
A while back I received a newsletter from Sous Vide Supreme, where I’d purchased my sous vide, and this was the name of the newsletter – Sous Vide Salmagundi! So I had to google salmagundi.
According to Serious Eats, “Salmagundi is more of a concept than a recipe. Essentially, it is a large composed salad that incorporates meat, seafood, cooked vegetables, raw vegetables, fruits, and nuts and is arranged in an elaborate way. Think of it as the British answer to Salad Niçoise.”
Well, it isn’t exactly like a Niçoise salad, if it contains meat, fruits, and nuts, but I was intrigued, and googled more.
From Wikipedia, “It seems to appear in English for the first time in the 17th century as a dish of cooked meats, seafood, vegetables, fruit, leaves, nuts and flowers and dressed with oil, vinegar and spices.”
Isn’t that fascinating?!!
Furthermore from Wikipedia, “In English culture the term does not refer to a single recipe, but describes the grand presentation of a large plated salad comprising many disparate ingredients. These can be arranged in layers or geometrical designs on a plate or mixed. The ingredients are then drizzled with a dressing. The dish aims to produce wide range of flavours and colours and textures on a single plate.”
Well, I immediately thought, party food! What a fabulous way to serve a meal, on a giant platter, like a whole buffet on a platter. Guests can create their own plates and, it would work for both vegetarians as well as nons.
Here are a couple of photos I found online, the left being from Serious Eats, the right one from The Boston Globe.
I told my husband about salmagundi, and he also said – party food! Surprisingly there is no cheese mentioned, but I added cheese!
Options for Salmagundi:
Roasted chicken legs
Boiled shrimp
Hot-smoked salmon
Corn on the cob halves, roasted
Salami
Potatoes
Hard-boiled eggs
Green beans
Steamed beets
Cornichons
Fruits
Nuts
Tomatoes or roasted tomatoes on a vine
Radishes
Edible flowers
This was a lot of fun to put together, as you can imagine!
I would have had people over but the flies are so bad when I did it. In fact, my husband stood guard for me, waving away flies while I photographed.
I didn’t cut up all of the cheese, or provide any dips, but you get the idea. So much more can be done with this salgagundi concept!
Hi there Mimi! What a fun and delicious idea. Your platter is just gorgeous. A feast fit to make a crowd happy. We often have a version of Salad Niçoise, but will need to try your idea next. Love that it can be made in advance.
I didn’t get the impression that this was even loosely associated with a Niçoise salad, unless it’s really changed over a couple centuries. But it’s a fun concept for sure.
I can’t believe I hadn’t looked up the word earlier! Maybe I thought it wasn’t a real word?! It’s a fun concept, and can be taken to extremes, especially if you’re a food stylist!
Fancy version of “charcuterie” or even a Cobb salad. I love it – well done! Except no shrimp with their heads on – had it for the first and last time in Switzerland – kind of freaked me out ha!ha!
Love it! Our high school year book was called Salmagundi, and I’ve always loved that word!
Oh interesting!
Never heard about this dish. How interesting. :)
It’s an interesting approach, isn’t it?!
This is one of my favorite ways to eat, although I didn’t know there was a name for it! What is that green cheese? It looks amazing!
It was a pesto cheese, just for fun. I wanted colors!
Mimi, it looks a bit like a Danish brunch, except they would have danishes and Gamal Dansk (Danish snaps). I love the idea and I too envision this as a great crowd pleaser…
Exactly. Party food at its best!
The recipe have for salamagundi which dates back to the 1900’s has the person arranging the sliced salads in circles a little like a Victorian bedding plant arrangement. I think I prefer yours!
Ha!!!
As a protest to the small plates trend some restaurants I have been to are adopting this “large plate” concept too. The idea being everyone orders something (it’s all supposedly designed to go together) and it’s all presented together on a big platter. Each diner is handed an extra large dinner plate and can create their own meal. Who knew it had such a glamorous name! GREG
It’s definitely an extension of a charcuterie and cheese platter!!! Let’s hear it for giant plates!!! It’s a buffet on a platter!!!
I absolutely LOVE THIS!!!!!
Hi Cecile!!!
Well Thankyou for extending my knowledge. I have always known the word and thought it was a made-up word but never actually knew what it meant. And great to know that it means a platter of lovely food!!
Thanks Mimi :))
Well it does sound like a made-up word!!!
I have never heard “Salmagundi” before; not in a reference and not in any circumstance. I love the word! And what a fascinating platter. Your husband really captured the essence perfectly in declaring it party food! It is. And fun party food at that! :-)
Well I hadn’t heard of it either! I think it can be used in many ways. I’ll have to start using it and see the quizzical looks in my friends’ faces!
I haven’t heard the word “salmagundi” in a long, long time. I learned about it first through the dish — I’ve actually seen recipes in old cookbooks. But I’ll bet it’s been at least 30 years! This looks great — so much fun to play in the kitchen, isn’t it? :-)
It certainly is! Always learning.
This looks similar to our smorgasbord meals we have on hot summer days. It looks tasty.
Oh, I’ve had that. Goodness, it’s been years. Much better food! But I guess with salmagundi you do what you want!
What a fun idea! I’ve never heard of Salmagundi, but this does indeed seem like a great party food idea – well, when the flies aren’t invited! It kinda reminds me of a charcuterie board on steroids. :-)
It was fun creating this. Yeah, I was thinking a buffet on a platter!
I am surprised my English mom never mentioned this. What a fun idea and much healthier than the regular charcuterie boards.
It’s a wonderful mixture of…. Stuff!
It’s really like a buffet on a platter!
Love this idea! Your platter looks simply scrumptious! I would happy sit down to a party where that was being served.
I wish we could have had a party that day!
Hmmm…. Not only have I not made this, I hadn’t even heard of Salmagundi before this post. Interesting read and your version of it looks lovely. We might get in one or two more cookouts this year, so I’ll definitely keep this in mind!
It’s just food on a platter, but I love the whole concept, and history!
The English and the Salmagundi platters were way ahead of their time. Since today, grazing with boards and boards of creative food offerings is so popular. I love how you arranged your Salmagundi, especially the stacked beets is so creative and bursts with vivid color! Great job Mimi!
thank you so much! It’s not my thing – being creative – but this was a fun project!
A feast! Love the ‘disparate’ ingredients. Just as you said, a buffet on a platter. Love the concept of asking friends for wine and appetizers and when they head home, there is no need to go get dinner. And. Who doesn’t love the name salmagundi!
I know – great name!!