There’s more to greens than sautéed spinach. This month, we’ve partnered with Sara Forte of Sprouted Kitchen to share tips, insights and her favorite recipes using greens.
There is so much to say about the anatomy of a salad, and yet it shouldn’t be something that is over complicated. Spring brings along so much produce that now is then time when the variety of salad combinations really peaks.
It Starts with the Greens
Butter lettuce is great for plated salads because you can stack the leaves high, creating a dramatic and beautiful presentation. When making larger, chopped salads, mix greens for a nice monochromatic look — think kale and romaine, red leaf and baby spinach or mixed greens and some frisee.
First, make sure greens are clean and dry so the dressing sticks and the salad won’t get soggy. One main goal is to vary the texture of the salad, so start with a tender green, crunchy vegetable and toasty nut, and add a creamy cheese topping, something sweet like a fresh or dried fruit (when appropriate) and a generously-seasoned dressing.
If you have a mandolin, bring it out especially for salads. Shaving vegetables paper thin makes them easier to eat in a salad (and they look pretty to boot). Think of multi-colored carrots, fennel, celery — all vegetables that are great in salads but much easier to eat when sliced thin.
Choosing the Best Ingredients
Before you start, think of different produce that may play well off each other and contrast on a plate and in your mouth. Most people, having been subject to one too many basic green salads of iceberg, out of season tomato wedges, hunks of cucumber and ranch, think salads are the boring part of a meal. Instead, make your salad colorful and pretty — spring is the time to eat with your eyes, with all the fruit and vegetables at your whim. You can always make a salad a meal by adding some cooked lentils, grilled chicken or a poached egg on top if need be.
The potential for spring greens salads are endless. Simply focus on variety, fresh crisp greens and a knockout dressing.
Live.Love.Lux Tip: Toasting nuts in your Electrolux wall oven? Perfect Taste™ Convection will ensure an even roast without burning.