Generally, we think that all salad greens are just a pile of leaves, but in reality, they are different from one another. Below you can find a list with the most popular salad greens and lettuces, along with their characteristics. If you want to make a salad of them, just add simple oil and vinegar dressing.
- Arugula
Its flowers are also comestible, while the leaves have a slight peppery taste.
- Boston Lettuce
With a light taste, the Boston lettuce grows in a loose head, having the outer leaves dark green and soft, but the inner leaves lighter.
- Chicory
Its leaves are curly edged and a bit spiky. The taste is kind of bitter, but in a positive way. If you want to make a good salad, combine lighter tasting lettuces with a couple of chicory leaves.
- Endive
Closely related to chicory, it has a little bitter taste. Because it can give a special favor to your salad, use it sparingly with lighter tasting lettuces.
- Escarole
This kind of lettuce has a voluminous spread-out head with wide ribs at the base. Being more rigid that other lettuces, it is recommended that its outer portions to be cut. Do not underestimate it. When preparing an escarole salad, you can successfully add nuts or apples.
- Garden Lettuce
Also known as Leaf Lettuce, it grows in curly loose leaves. It is not very resistant, so after picking it up, keep it very cold and use it as soon as possible.
- Iceberg Lettuce
This type lettuce is the most popular ingredient for salads and sandwich preparations. Growing in a crisp tight head, it can keep well in the refrigerator and it is always available. Because of its mildest taste, it represents a great base for adding other salad greens.
- Red Leaf Lettuce
Even if it doesn`t keep very well, its taste and red color may be the key ingredient for most green salads.
- Romaine Lettuce
Another popular type of lettuce, it features long crisp leaves. Before preparing the salad, you should cut it into bite sized pieces. The Romaine lettuce goes very well with oily dressings.
- Watercress
Deep green colored, it has small flat leaves. It is advisable to remove the tougher stem before using it in a salad. Having a peppery taste, it should be used in salads having citrus fruits. Watercress goes well also in sandwiches.
In case you want to provide more flavor to your salad, add crushed fresh herbs leaves, for example parsley, basil, oregano or cilantro. You can make a different flavored salad every day, you just need to mix and match lettuces, salad greens and herbs in a creative and ingenious way!
