PREPARATION, SERVING & STORAGE OF SALAD

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.

 

 

  Preparation

FRESH FIELD salad bags contains pre-washed salad greens.  However, we still recommend that you wash it again before serving it.
           

Washing

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

Clean 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.

 

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. 

 

Serving

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. 

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.

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.

 

 

Storage

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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