In this article I provide general information about salads, lettuce varieties, green salads and leafy vegetables that can be used to prepare the tastiest salads. Salad:whether it is a starter or a complete main course, for a simple lunch or an extensive buffet, Easter, Christmas or just a summer day, salads are healthy and not difficult to make.
The word salad comes from the Latin word sal, which means salt. The Romans salted food to preserve it longer, but also used salt in the preparation of salads.
The Larousse defines the word salad:'dishes, composed of herbs, plants, vegetables, eggs, meat or fish, seasoned with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, whether or not mixed with other ingredients, also known as name 'vinegraitte.
Until the end of the 19th century, salads were the food of the nobility in Europe. Then came the French Revolution, which freed the cooks from the noble kitchen and gave them a different way of earning a living. From this time dates the rise of the classic French restaurant, which made the salad known to the general public.
Today salads have an international taste. The cuisine of India, Mexico, Thailand and South America just to name a few side streets has made its way into our country and our tables. And just as the salads come from different regions, so do the layout, ingredients and taste. In short, there is a world of salads waiting for you, for everyone's taste.
When should a green or mixed salad be served? History tells us that under the reign of Emperor Domitian, in the first century AD, the heyday of the Roman Empire, the salad shifted from the end of the meal to the beginning. However, the reason behind this is unknown. However, it is known that some Romans believed that a green salad for dessert promotes sleep.
In Renaissance Italy, grand banquets always started with sumptuous intricate salads. Louis XIV was king of France as well as king of salads. He ate large quantities of salad at the beginning and end of his meal, and preferably halfway through. Another famous salad lover was the writer Alexandre Dumas. He preferred his salad for dessert.
Nowadays salads are sometimes served as a dessert, to aid digestion after a heavy meal, sometimes as a complex starter with an otherwise simple meal. And whoever keeps an eye on his weight often eats a salad as a single main dish. In other words:salad is always possible!
There is one rule in particular for leafy vegetables:the vegetables chosen should be as fresh as possible. Withered vegetables have already lost a large part of their moisture and are therefore no longer suitable for use. As soon as you get home with your fresh leafy vegetables, it should be rinsed. It is advisable to wash the vegetables in one go, instead of small amounts each time.
Leafy vegetables, including cabbage and lettuce, rinse thoroughly under the cold tap , whereby the leaves are gently pressed apart. One can immediately check whether there is sand or dirt in between, this can be the case in particular in the heart and at the base of the petiole. Discard limp or bruised leaves. Preparing salad becomes even easier with a salad spinner .
For salads it is very important to let the vegetables dry properly † Vegetables with/on which there is still water provide a limp leaf and weaken the taste of the added sauce. Leafy vegetables can be patted dry with a piece of kitchen paper or let them drain in a colander.
Before the leafy vegetables are put away, they can already be picked into handy bite-sized pieces (DO NOT CUT!). If necessary, wrap the leaves individually in kitchen paper or a clean cloth. Store the wrapped vegetables in a plastic bag and place it in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. This way you are assured of a crispy fresh vegetable salad.
Of course there are many different types of lettuce. Here is a short description of some lettuce varieties, with characteristics such as color and taste.
Regular or curly endive. The bitter taste is praised as spicy and attractive. The leaves in the heart are milder in taste than the outer leaves. Endive is usually combined with other vegetables in a salad.
O ok, chicory or Brussels lof. Connoisseurs call this vegetable refined bitter in taste. Lof is a member of the endive family and a vegetable that requires very little cutting.
A Chinese vegetable that is now also grown in Europe. Recognizable by the white stems. The juicy stem and tender leaves have a mild cabbage flavour.
S Make is in between cabbage and celery. In fact, the Chinese cabbage is a member of the mustard family. The leaf has an elongated shape and is very firm, so that you can easily make a thick sauce with it.
N not to be confused with cress. Has a nice pungent taste that is described as peppery. Watercress also belongs to the mustard family and was known to the Greeks for thousands of years before the common era. The leaves are delicate and bruise easily, so care should be taken when washing and storing. max. 2 days to keep!
L ox head with a crisp taste.
Not only delicious in soup or as a mash a la Popeye, but also delicious to use fresh in a salad. The leaf bruises quickly, so care should be taken when washing spinach.
Red chicory or red lettuce, is an Italian type of chicory. The taste of the pink to dark red leaves with white veins is crisp.
The heart has an interesting taste, but the outer leaves taste downright bland. Iceberg lettuce is strong and crunchy and therefore suitable for various sauces.
Loose head with crispy elongated leaves, with a powerful, pungent, attractive pungent taste. Especially popular abroad.
Has a slightly lemony taste, sour and fresh. It is best to use the young leaves in salads.
Or cress can easily be grown yourself and tastes moderately sharp. Especially to be used as a healthy garnish for salads.
Leaf is curled and more crisp than that of lettuce.
The 'regular', everyday lettuce variety, with a subtle buttery-sweet taste. Can be used in many salads. Careful when washing, the leaf is quite tar.
Has a somewhat sharp aftertaste.
Do you also love salad? Which salad do you like best? Let me know in a comment below this post.
