Identifying Salad Greens Lettuce – Persian royalty served lettuce 2500 years ago Boston Iceberg Leaf Romaine or Cos – used in Caesar salad

Identifying Salad Greens Baby Lettuces – often less bitter, more tender Mesclun: mixture of baby greens Brune d’Hiver Lola Rosa Red Sails Pirate Red oak

Identifying Salad Greens Chicories Belgium Endive: whole leaves can be filled with a spread for an hors d’oeuvre / sauté or grill whole Curly Endive or frisée: add for texture & flavor Escarole: thick leaves, slightly bitter Radicchio: looks like small red cabbage, but softer

Identifying Salad Greens Other Salad Greens and Ingredients Dandelion Mâche: lambs lettuce, mild flavor Arugula: rocket: Cabbage family – spicy, peppery, salad, sandwich Sorrel: lemon flavor /tart – soup, sauce Spinach Sprouts Watercress: dark green, small round leaves, peppery, packed with ice Edible flowers: Colorful, sprinkle on salad, garnish Fresh herbs: Cilantro, dill, basil – cut chiffonade, add to salad

Salad Greens Nutrition Purchasing and storing salad greens Virtually no fat Low calorie Iron, Fiber, Vitamins A and C Purchasing and storing salad greens Storing Keep between 34-38° F Avoid ethylene gas from tomatoes, apples as causes wilt Perishable – lettuce 24 heads/case; fluctuating price Wash just before using

Micro Greens

Preparing Salad Greens Tearing and cutting Washing Drying – spinner, absorbent cloth Mixing with dressings

Washing Salad Greens

Vinaigrette Dressings Also known as basic French dressing Ingredients – standard 3:1 Oil – canola, olive, walnut Vinegar – may replace with citrus juice Other flavoring ingredients Temporary Emulsion

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

Emulsified Dressings Mayonnaise: lecithin surrounds oil droplets keeps them from regrouping Mayonnaise-based dressings – purchase commercially in gallon jars Many chefs prepare homemade – use olive oil to prepare aïoli 1 egg yolk can emulsify 7 oz oil Recommend using pasteurized eggs

Preparation Methods Green Salads Tossed salads Matching dressings and salad greens; for example sturdy Romaine with blue cheese, Caesar dressing or mesclun greens with canola, raspberry vinaigrette Composed salad components - artistic Base (salad liner) Body (tofu salad, chicken salad, mixed greens) Garnish (adds color, texture, flavor) Dressing (only if needed) Example: Boston lettuce leaf, mixed greens with walnuts, duck breast, raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Plating Composed Salads