GREENGROCER GREEN SALAD

Name: GREENGROCER GREEN SALAD
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: Butterhead lettuce – floppy, sweet in the middle and excellent carriers of a vinaigrette; Lamb’s lettuce and land cress – mild, tender leaves; Romaine or cos lettuce – a crunchy bite, with slightly bitter, herbal taste; Baby or little gem – a miniature, sweeter version of the Romaine lettuce, with a crisp core; Mustard leaves – fiery and mustardy(!): chop roughly as large leaves can overwhelm; Watercress – a fiery mix of pepper and horseradish; Nasturtium leaves – nose-tickling with a hint of mustard. You can also add the striking and similarly punchy flowers; Wild rocket – peppery and versatile; Frisée – wild, jagged leaves: this is a member of the endive family, though its bitterness is mild relative to others; Sorrel – sharp, citrus flavours: as with mustard leaves, the flavour is powerful so shred roughly; Parsley and chervil – pick leaves and use whole in the style of a salad leaf rather than a herb; Mint – pick and shred the leaves

4 steps

Bagged mixed salads, which inevitably end up rotting in the fridge, are neither a good reflection of lettuce’s potential, nor good value. Consider instead the selections of verdant leaves of various textures sold by the likes of Chegw orth Valley, and the impressive heads of lettuce at Elsey & Bent and other Market grocers. Leaves cut from the core, washed and refreshed in a bowl of cold water and dried thoroughly need only a sharp, well-seasoned dressing to complete a summer’s meal. Choose from a mix of mild, crisp and flavourful lettuces, and the addition of handfuls of fresh herbs. Most lettuces bought whole last for 4 –5 days in a fridge if the leaves are left on the core until required, and sprinkled with water occasionally. DRESSING (FOR A SALAD TO SERVE 2–4)

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 02:47:08 GMT