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!

By Published On: September 7th, 202141 Comments on Salmagundi

About the Author: Chef Mimi

As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!

41 Comments

  1. Healthy World Cuisine September 7, 2021 at 7:03 AM - Reply

    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.

    • chef mimi September 7, 2021 at 7:24 AM - Reply

      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.

  2. angiesrecipes September 7, 2021 at 7:30 AM - Reply

    Salmagundi…just learn a new word today, Mimi. Those giant prawns look to die for!

    • chef mimi September 7, 2021 at 7:31 AM - Reply

      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!

  3. cookingwithauntjuju.com September 7, 2021 at 8:02 AM - Reply

    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!

  4. BERNADETTE September 7, 2021 at 8:41 AM - Reply

    I love new words. It reminds me of the Italian bagna cauda. What is the ethnic background of the word? Whoever you invited over to share this dish was extremely lucky.

  5. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen September 7, 2021 at 8:51 AM - Reply

    Love it! Our high school year book was called Salmagundi, and I’ve always loved that word!

    • chef mimi September 7, 2021 at 10:44 AM - Reply

      Oh interesting!

  6. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats September 7, 2021 at 9:42 AM - Reply

    Never heard about this dish. How interesting. :)

    • chef mimi September 7, 2021 at 10:44 AM - Reply

      It’s an interesting approach, isn’t it?!

  7. Jeff the Chef September 7, 2021 at 9:56 AM - Reply

    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!

    • chef mimi September 7, 2021 at 10:45 AM - Reply

      It was a pesto cheese, just for fun. I wanted colors!

  8. Ron September 7, 2021 at 10:09 AM - Reply

    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…

    • chef mimi September 7, 2021 at 10:45 AM - Reply

      Exactly. Party food at its best!

  9. Tabula Rasa September 7, 2021 at 11:27 AM - Reply

    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!

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 9:04 AM - Reply

      Ha!!!

  10. Sippity Sup September 7, 2021 at 11:28 AM - Reply

    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

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 9:04 AM - Reply

      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!!!

  11. Cecile Roy September 7, 2021 at 11:34 AM - Reply

    I absolutely LOVE THIS!!!!!

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 9:03 AM - Reply

      Hi Cecile!!!

  12. Mary September 7, 2021 at 3:42 PM - Reply

    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 :))

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 9:03 AM - Reply

      Well it does sound like a made-up word!!!

  13. Debra September 7, 2021 at 8:21 PM - Reply

    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! :-)

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 9:02 AM - Reply

      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!

  14. kitchenriffs September 8, 2021 at 9:59 AM - Reply

    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? :-)

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 10:24 AM - Reply

      It certainly is! Always learning.

  15. For the Love of Cooking September 8, 2021 at 11:41 AM - Reply

    This looks similar to our smorgasbord meals we have on hot summer days. It looks tasty.

    • chef mimi September 8, 2021 at 12:08 PM - Reply

      Oh, I’ve had that. Goodness, it’s been years. Much better food! But I guess with salmagundi you do what you want!

  16. spicedblog September 9, 2021 at 7:40 AM - Reply

    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. :-)

    • chef mimi September 9, 2021 at 9:20 AM - Reply

      It was fun creating this. Yeah, I was thinking a buffet on a platter!

  17. Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons September 9, 2021 at 3:05 PM - Reply

    I am surprised my English mom never mentioned this. What a fun idea and much healthier than the regular charcuterie boards.

    • chef mimi September 10, 2021 at 1:57 PM - Reply

      It’s a wonderful mixture of…. Stuff!

    • chef mimi September 18, 2021 at 12:00 PM - Reply

      It’s really like a buffet on a platter!

  18. Molly Pisula September 10, 2021 at 10:31 AM - Reply

    Love this idea! Your platter looks simply scrumptious! I would happy sit down to a party where that was being served.

    • chef mimi September 10, 2021 at 1:57 PM - Reply

      I wish we could have had a party that day!

  19. Frank Fariello September 12, 2021 at 7:45 AM - Reply

    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!

    • chef mimi September 12, 2021 at 8:54 AM - Reply

      It’s just food on a platter, but I love the whole concept, and history!

  20. Roz September 12, 2021 at 9:44 PM - Reply

    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!

    • chef mimi September 13, 2021 at 8:01 AM - Reply

      thank you so much! It’s not my thing – being creative – but this was a fun project!

  21. Elena Bourke September 13, 2021 at 10:10 AM - Reply

    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!

    • chef mimi September 13, 2021 at 11:07 AM - Reply

      I know – great name!!

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