# How do increase yields or servings for Composed Salads Recipes?



## doraima3875 (May 3, 2015)

Hi all,
I work for a catering company for a major company in California. I am now serving 300 people. Then on the middle of May, this is going to increase by 600 people. How would I increase the yields of ingredients used for few composed salad recipes? Any suggestions, advice would really help.


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## seabeecook (Aug 23, 2008)

What is the basis for your recipes? 100 servings or another amount?

While there are numerous recipe converters on the net, I prefer to adjust recipes my hand. After having the process drilled in my head in the Navy, it's second nature to me.

In the Navy, we used recipes based on 100 servings to simplify adjustment up or down. The basic formula is:

Number of desired portions / Recipe yield = Working factor

Your example: 600 / 100 = 6​You them multiply the quantity of each ingredient times the working factor. For example, say the recipe calls for 2# mayonnaise for 100 portions. 6 times 2 equals 12# mayonnaise. Repeat the process for each ingredient in the recipe.

If applied to a composed salad like a Cobb or Nicoise, this process will tell you the quantities to prepare of each ingredient. You then can set up your process, whether for plating or panning into 2" hotels.

Please tell s more about your process.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

seabeecook said:


> What is the basis for your recipes? 100 servings or another amount?
> 
> While there are numerous recipe converters on the net, I prefer to adjust recipes my hand. After having the process drilled in my head in the Navy, it's second nature to me.
> 
> ...


This is a good starting point, but you have to be careful. Not all ingredients can, or should, be scaled up so simply. This is especially true for dried herbs, spices and seasonings as well as other really strongly flavored ingredients.


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## doraima3875 (May 3, 2015)

Thanks for the replies. Yes, my boss told me that spices, herbs, and other strong flavored ingredients cannot be simply scaled up as I learned the hard way making a ranch dressing which was completely off using a recipe that was completely off. The next day, we had to bulk up the sour cream, mayonnaise and some water to tame the fresh garlic. Another chef told me to start at 1/4 cup of aromatics and other strong-flavored ingredients for making sauces, infused oils and other savory applications.


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