Crunchy salads based on a variety of leafy greens are a culinary classic. About a hundred varieties of leafy vegetables are used to make salads. Some are neutral in flavor and designed to set off other ingredients, while others are added because of their distinctive flavor or aroma.
In this post, I offer an insight into the varieties of salad greens and what to do with them.
HOW TO SELECT.
Whatever variety of lettuce you buy, its leaves should look bright and fresh. If your lettuce has spots and wilted leaves, it’s probably past its shelf life. In the store or at the market, it is better to give preference to lettuce, which is sold without cellophane packaging. This way, you can examine the head for spots and damage.
HOW TO STORAGE.
Lettuce must be processed before storage. First, remove damaged and blackened leaves, if any. The remaining leaves are washed under cold running water, then dried or blotted dry with paper towels. The lettuce should then be placed in a tightly sealed bag or container and stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable drawer. Leafy and soft cabbage varieties (Romano, Boston lettuce, Lollo Rosso) should not be stored longer than 3-4 days. Denser lettuces – such as iceberg or radicchio – can last up to a week in the refrigerator without loss in quality.
POPULAR VARIETIES OF LETTUCE
Lollo rosso.
A sprawling rosette-shaped leaf lettuce with pure green or maroon-colored curly leaves around the edges. It has a mild, neutral flavor that pairs well with almost any vegetable, meat or fish.
Boston lettuce.
A cabbage lettuce with soft, juicy leaves and an unctuous, subtle flavor. When cooking lettuce leaves are either torn into large pieces or put in a dish whole – in this form lettuce best preserves its taste and appearance. It can be used not only for preparing salads, but also added to soups or served as a side dish in a poached form.
Iceberg
Salad in the form of a dense caulk with pale green crispy leaves. Has a very light flavor and sets off the more intense tasting foods well. Iceberg-based salads are most often dressed with sour cream or yogurt-based sauces.
Romano (“Cos”).
A salad with leaves assembled in an oblong oval cauldron. The outer leaves have rather stiff ribs, which are most often not used in cooking. The inner leaves have a more delicate texture and fresh flavor. It is the Romano that is traditionally used to make the famous Caesar salad.
Frisee.
A cabbage salad with narrow, curly leaves – green at the edges and white-yellow closer to the middle of the cabbage. Has a slightly bitter tangy flavor. Goes best with cheese, fish and seafood, as well as citrus fruits.
Radicchio
Italian oval shaped cabbage lettuce with dark red to purple-purple leaves with white streaks. One of the varieties of salad chicory. Most often used in salad mixes and added to create a taste contrast in a dish – the leaves of this salad have a characteristic pleasant bitterness.
Rucola (Arugula).
Lettuce, the appearance of resembling the leaves of dandelion. Has a spicy-spicy taste with a slight nutty hint. Especially good in combination with vinegar dressings.
Spinach
Has flat, dark green leaves with a pleasant sweet flavor. Can be eaten raw or processed. It is used to make salads, soups, second courses and sauces. Spinach juice is an excellent natural coloring agent for pasta, yeast dough, mashed potatoes and even some creams.
