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