Kitchen Korner

 

Fresh Salads and Young Greens

by Karin LaRonde

Back | Next | Contents | Home

I'm so Excited that spring is just around the corner. After a long winterof the same old vegetables, we will begin to see some more exciting choices. Check out your local Farmer's Marketfor fresh and tasty organic produce.

When I think spring, I think fresh salads with young green. Raw vegetables and fruit are so good for you. They are an abundant source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. This year, experiment with some other greens. Here are a few to try..

SALAD GREENS

ARUGULA is a terrific green to throw into an otherwise salad. It has a peppery and slightly bitter flavor. How about WATERCRESS, tender SPINACH LEAVES, BELGIAN ENDIVE, ESCAROLE, YOUNG MUSTARD GREENS, or CHICORY? The red leafed RADICCHIO is wonderful when combined with other salad greens. You can also use the leaves as a base for hors d'oeuvres, or saute' them for a side dish.

We're beginning to appreciate DANDELIONS GREENS more and more. They have a somewhat bitter flavor. Younger greens can be cooked or served raw as a salad green. Older ones should be cooked. You can find salad mixes such as MESCLUN at the Farmer's Market or supermarkets. These mixes may include lettuces such as red rollo, red oak leaf, monet, Simpson optima, & Romaine. It may also include argula, mizuna, kale & spinach.

YOUR OWN SALAD DRESSING

Salad dressing are so easy to make and to personalize as your own. Add your favorite oil, vinegar & herbs...

2 Tbls olive oil, or your choice of oil
2 Tbls either lemon or lime juice, rice, red wine, balsamic or cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
1 tsp herbs of your choice
pinch of salt & pepper
Combine in a jar, cover and shake. Refrigerate at least an hour to combine flavors.

MIXED GREENS WITH ORANGE CUMIN DRESSING
4 cups Mixed Greens
2 Oranges, peeled and cut into segments
1 Avocade, peeled/cut into thin slices
1 sm Red Onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings.

Orange Cumin Dressing
3 tb Fresh Orange Juice
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1/2 tb Fresh lemon Juice
1/4 ts Ground Cumin
pinch salt
In a small bowl combine orange juice, lemon juice, cumin and salt. Gradually whisk in olive oil until blended.
Set aside. Line 4 salad plates with greens. Fan 3 orange slices and 4 avocado slices on each plate of greens.
Garnish with onion rings. Whisk dressing and drizzle over salads.

FRESH TOMATO DRESSING
1 1/2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process for about 1 minute or until the mixture is
smooth. Transfer dressing to a covered container and refrigerate for servral hours before serving.

COOKING GREENS

BRAISING is a cooking method by which food is usually first browned, then cooked, tightly covered, in a small amount of
liquid at low heat. Braising can be done on top of the range or in the oven. A tightfitting lid is very important to prevent
the liquid from evaporating.

The following are some greens which are perfect for braising:
SPINACH is packed with nutrients, and it's quite versatile. The leaves are so tender they only need a few minutes to wilt.
Spinach is alos great in a stir fry.

SWISS CHARD is used much like spinach, except that it has an appealing beetlike flavor and a heavier texture which requires
longer cooking. Many cooks simply saute' it in olive oil and server it as a side dish. Red chard with green leaves and red
stalks is slightly more tender and flavorful than white chard.

BELT GREENS, like their close relative, Swiss chard, have lots of flavor and a good sturdy texture. The best ones are young
and tender, and sometimes come with small beets attached.

RAPINI is a slightly bitter cooking green that has long been popular in Italy and is now catching on in America. It's best
to just eat the florets and leaves; the stems are quite bitter.

KALE is a kind of cabbage with dark green, wrinkled leaves. It's prized more for its hardiness than its flavor or delicacy,
but it continues to be popular in Europe. Remove and discard the tough center stalks before cooking.

SORREL this sour herb is quite popular in France. They like to cook it briefly and make a puree out of it, which they ladle
over eggs, fish, meat, and other dishes. it can be served raw in salads.

BOK CHOY is a mild, versatile vegetable with crunchy white stalks and tender, dark green leaves. It resembles a bunch of
wide stalked celery with long, full leaves. Bok choy can be used raw in salads, in a stir fry or as a cooked vegetable.

Back | Next | Contents | Home