Text: Daria Bigun
EVEN WHEN THE SPEECH IS ABOUT SIMPLE AND BASIC DISHES, disputes about the correctness of cooking do not stop. We figure out which recipe elements are scientifically substantiated and which cooking methods are almost a guarantee of a successful result. If you like it more or do it better in a different way, we do not pretend to be the ultimate truth.
A salad made from fresh vegetables, leaves and olive oil is difficult to spoil, but it can get boring. In order not to rack our brains every day on how to add variety, we found out which components, combinations and simple dressings will help make the salad a full-fledged dish. Greens and vegetables, even in quarantine, should not be difficult due to delivery - and eating them is especially important in order to maintain health in a sedentary lifestyle. By the way, if desired, aromatic herbs can be grown right on the windowsill.
Leaves
The basis of any salad is greens. It gives volume and affects the taste, but it quickly dries up from the liquid, so it is definitely better to season the salad last. This will keep the vegetables that juice quickly on contact with salt crisp. In a salad, you can use several different types of leaves at once - mix it yourself or pour the ready-made mixture from a bag. Try it until you find the option you like best.
If you buy greens not in bags, it is important to wash them thoroughly: there may be sand and dirt on the leaves, especially at the roots. You can dry it with paper towels or in a special dryer. There is an opinion that lettuce leaves should be torn by hand, and not cut - but in fact, the method of cutting does not affect the taste or benefit in any way; Try cutting greens with scissors, especially onion feathers - you might find it more convenient.
Components
To make the salad a full-fledged dish, and not a side dish, you need to add something else to it, besides vegetables and herbs. We have compiled this list (per serving):
Base: a handful of greens and half a glass of fresh or boiled vegetables (except for the obvious tomatoes and cucumbers, we remind you of avocados, bell peppers, green beans). Fruits can also be attributed to this group - for example, a chopped pear fits perfectly into salads.
Protein component: a quarter - half a glass of chicken, meat, fish, such as canned tuna, lentils. You can add cheese like feta or mozzarella, boiled egg or tofu.
Carbohydrate component: half a glass of pasta or any cereal (from buckwheat and rice to quinoa). Boiled potatoes are also an option.
1-2 tablespoons of foods that crunch or give an interesting flavor: nuts, capers, seeds, olives, dried fruits, parmesan, deep-fried onions.
A quarter glass of dressing.
Examples of combinations:
Spinach + avocado + feta + couscous + pine nuts + lemon dressing
Arugula + pear + lentils + pasta + hazelnuts + simple olive oil dressing
Lettuce mix + cucumber + tuna + rice + capers + avocado dressing
Lettuce + cherry tomatoes + chicken + potatoes + olives + curry dressing
Leaves Blend + Apple + Mozzarella + Pasta + Any Nuts + Strawberry Dressing
Refueling
A standard salad dressing is a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and / or mustard. The dressing should contain oil, an acidic component - vinegar or lemon juice - and spices. The ratio of oil to vinegar is usually 3: 1 to 2: 1. Vegetable salads with lots of water or cereal-based salads usually benefit when the acidic component is higher - but if you don't like the taste, you can add to the dressing, for example, honey.
If you are in the mood and have time for home experiments, vinegar can be made at home, for example, from red wine, according to this instruction. If for some reason you do not use vinegar, then replace it in the dressing with lemon juice, lime juice, or even pomelo.
The usual sunflower, olive and rapeseed oils can be replaced with others - for example, walnut or hazelnut oil; you can get away with butter altogether by making a dressing based on yogurt, cream, or coconut milk. Bitter spices are best mixed with oils that balance their flavor. For example, turmeric goes well with olive oil.
You can replace salt with soy sauce or miso paste, which you can also make at home. You can add berries and fruits chopped in a blender to the dressing - strawberry or raspberry sauce will definitely add variety. Another trick is to mix walnuts with olive oil and salt to make a quasi parmesan. The dressing can be made richer and thicker, in which case it is important to follow a specific recipe and balance the amount of flavor-rich ingredients.
Solid ingredients such as avocados, nuts or berries are best chopped in a blender, after which it is convenient to combine the components of the dressing in a shaker or a tightly closed jar and shake well.
Examples of gas stations:
Soft avocado + small bunch of cilantro + 2 tbsp. spoons of lime juice + ¼ glass of orange juice + 1 tbsp. spoon of olive oil + 1 tbsp. a spoonful of apple cider vinegar + 1 tbsp. spoon of honey + salt and pepper
Feta (100 g) + green onion stem + 4 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil + 3 tbsp. spoons of red wine vinegar + 3 tbsp. spoons of natural yogurt + 2 tbsp. spoons of water + a clove of garlic + 5 sprigs of dill + salt and pepper
Olive oil (120 ml) + ⅓ cup lemon juice + ¼ cup white wine vinegar + 3 tbsp. spoons of honey + salt and pepper
Olive oil (6 tbsp. Spoons) + 1 tbsp. a spoonful of lemon juice + 1 tbsp. spoon of white wine vinegar + 1 tsp of Dijon mustard + 1 tbsp. a spoonful of liquid honey + salt and pepper
Olive oil (3 tablespoons) + 3 tablespoons tablespoons of white wine vinegar + 3 tbsp. spoons of liquid honey + ⅔ cups of strawberries + ¼ tbsp. tablespoons of almond extract + salt and pepper
PHOTOS: Mara Zemgaliete - stock.adobe.com, irinagrigorii - stock.adobe.com