.. |
got
a random food question? jump to the
boards
.
|
copyright ©1999-2002
DigsMagazine.com.
|
salad
days make a
super salad
by Cindy Alvarez
| 1
2 3 4
continued from page 1
|
romaine
lettuce |
Romaine lettuce rivals the crunchiness of iceberg lettuce,
but with a much stronger flavor. The green ends have a mild peppery
bitterness, and the lighter-colored cores are sweeter. Because of its
flavor, crunch, and relatively long fridge life (5-7 days), romaine
lettuce is an ideal "base" for a variety of salads.
Mesclun
|
Mesclun is the name for a mix of lettuces and wild greens. The
traditional French mesclun includes chervil, arugula, baby lettuce and
endive, but the mix you find in produce markets -- and even in the
produce aisles of most chain grocery storesthese days -- can also
include mizuna, chicory, purslane, and escarole. The mixture has notes
of bitter, peppery, lemony, herbal, sweet, and mustard flavors. Mesclun
is 2-3 times more expensive than the other greens, so I recommend mixing
it with other greens and serving with a light dressing.
Spinach
leaves |
Baby spinach leaves are flavorful and chewy. The classic
spinach salad -- with citrus, nuts, and strong cheese -- is an excellent
match for the bitterness of spinach. Spinach also goes well as an accent
to sweeter lettuces, like Bibb or Green-leaf.
If you like stronger bitter herbal flavors, full-sized spinach leaves
make a very dramatic salad. Just remove the stems and tear or slice the
leaves in half, and pair with strong flavors like red onion, blue
cheese, or spicy vinaigrettes. With all spinach leaves, be sure to wash
them well because the dirt clings stubbornly.
Basil, mint, cilantro |
In
traditional Vietnamese cooking, it's not uncommon to find herbs
generously mixed into their salad dishes. Basil, mint, and cilantro add
peppery, spicy, bright notes to salad. These herbs are best paired with
stronger-flavored greens like Romaine or Red-leaf
lettuces, or mesclun.
don't
stop: more this way!
--------------------------->
lounge .
nourish .
host
. laze . home.
|