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Mesclun
is a mix of baby salad greens that originates in Provencal
France. The original idea was to make a salad that
touches upon every taste and texture sensation: bitter,
sweet, tangy, crunchy and silky. Mesclun is a treat for
the eye as well as the tongue, with its colorful mix of
textures. There are very few salads that can so fully
exercise the taste buds and provide the eye with such a
visual feast, and few dishes that give you such
opportunity to play with different flavors and
textures. Blend your salad in the kitchen or at
the table and savor the true meaning of "fresh
greens". |
Everyone
knows how to make a garden salad -- just wash,
dress, and toss. But few know how to make a really great green
salad, like those served in the best restaurants, where
tender, fresh salad greens are handled with care from garden to
plate and tossed ever so gently with just the right amount of
oil and vinegar. Wonderful salads aren't hard to make; they
just require care.
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Preparation
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FRESH
FIELD garden mesclun mix bag contains 250 grams of
mix salad greens that are packed to give you a range of flavors,
textures and colors. These salad greens are pre-washed, spin
dried and are ready to eat. However, we still
recommend that you rinse them before serving it.
Washing
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Simply rinsing
your salad greens under running water won't get rid of all of
the dirt. Instead, submerge them in a large bowl or in a
sink full of cool water.
To get the
salad greens out of
their soaking bowl, don't just grab them. Spread your
hands out beneath them in the water and let them rest on
your hands as you lift them from the water. This method
also ensures that you'll leave the any remaining grit or
dirt behind in the bottom of the bowl. Repeat with fresh
water until you are satisfied
Drying |
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your salad greens with a brief soak. Gently swirl the
leaves in cool water to dislodge any grit, and
then lift the salad greens out with loosely splayed
fingers. The grit will stay behind in the bottom
of the bowl. Rinse out the bowl, and repeat
until there's no grit left. |
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Any
excess water on the leaves will dilute the flavor of your
dressing, which also won't cling well to wet salad greens. A salad
spinner does a good job of drying salad greens. Don't cram in the
salad greens: instead, dry them in batches. Don't spin too hard or
the leaves will be crushed in the spinner.
After a couple of
spins, drain the bowl, rearrange the leaves, and spin again.
Repeat until there's no more water in the bowl.
If you don't have a
spinner, spread out the leaves on a clean dishtowel and roll
them up gently, or pat them gently with another towel.
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Serving |
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We
recommend vinaigrette for the garden
mesclun. Traditional vinaigrettes consist of three parts oil
to one part vinegar or lemon juice. But that ratio will vary
depending on the oils and vinegars you use and on your own
taste.
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Toss
until the salad greens are well-coated. Use two
large spoons or your hands for gentle tossing.
Taste a leaf, adjust the seasonings, and serve
right away.
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You
can also mix the vinaigrette in the bottom of your salad
bowl, cross your salad spoons in the bowl, and then
gently lay the salad greens on top of the spoons. This way,
everything is handy to toss at the table, but the salad greens
won't be sitting in the dressing.
Never dress your
salad on salad plates. Use a bowl that leaves you plenty
of room to toss; any excess oil and vinegar will be left
behind in the bowl instead of in a puddle on the plate.
Toss gently but
thoroughly. Use your hands or two large spoons to gently
turn the salad greens over in the bowl until they're well
coated. Taste a leaf and add a little oil, vinegar,
salt, or pepper until the salad is seasoned correctly.
Serve the salad immediately or the dressing will cause
it to wilt.
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Storage |
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How
long will Fresh
Field Garden Mix Mesclun stay
fresh and crisp in the fridge ? Most will keep
four days to a week if stored properly. Store the
bag in the vegetable crisper.
Store leftovers
in the original bag, tightly seal it will a tape and put
it in the
refrigerator.
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