Once upon a time in Ireland — at least at the time I made my first trip in 1984, and even a decade later — a salad was not a salad as we know it today: think a few leaves of iceberg and a slice or two of tomato.
Perfectly acceptable at the time, but four decades later, you’ll find salads worthy of celebrating. Yes, greens are often dressed with a simple blend of oil and vinegar, but you’re more likely to see salads arriving with a more colorful mix of lettuces — the four main varieties are loose-leaf, butterhead, crisp head, and romaine — topped with ingredients once unheard of on the same plate.
A good mix starts with the “big three”: mild lettuce like Boston, Bibb or endive; a crisp lettuce like romaine; and a tart, peppery, or bitter green like arugula or radicchio.
For delicious and nutritious greens to include in your next salad, consider one or more of these: butterhead (include Bibb and Boston, sweet and mild); chard (also called Swiss chard, wrinkled and tangy); dandelion greens (bitter); escarole (curly, slightly peppery); kale (mild with cabbage undertones); frisée (also known as curly endive, peppery flavor); mâche (lamb’s lettuce, nutty flavor); mesclun (mix of young salad greens, can be peppery); radicchio (red and white, bitter and peppery); spinach (tender with hearty flavor); or watercress (small, long-stemmed, peppery).
Top your plate of greens with fresh or grilled fruit, grilled vegetables or fish, meat, cheese, beans or nuts. The possibilities are endless! Buy your favorite greens loose or in convenient 5-ounce packages.
SUMMER SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES & BLUEBERRIES
Serves 4
Fresh fruit like strawberries and blueberries are delicious topping arugula, spinach, or a mixture of both. Serve this red, white, and blue mix — perfect for Fourth of July — with a drizzle of oil and vinegar or with this creamy dressing.
For the dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Salt
Ground black pepper
1. Make dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, milk, poppy seeds, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
For the salad
5 ounces baby spinach, arugula, or a mix of both
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
Nuts or seeds, for topping
Brown bread, for serving (optional)
1. Divide greens among four salad plates; top with strawberries and blueberries; sprinkle with nuts. Spoon dressing on top.
