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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Micro Greens

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

8. Washing Salad Greens

9. 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

10. Basic Vinaigrette Dressing

11. 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

12. 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

13. Plating Composed Salads