Korn

Corn lettuce is better known in the food industry as mung bean or rapunzel. This is the most popular and sought-after variety of lettuce. Korn has a mild flavor and a pleasant nutty aftertaste that excites the receptors and gives a special charm to the dish.

The product is added not only to salads, but also to soups. The leaves are slightly poached until a supple creamy structure is obtained, after which they are sent to a boiling liquid. It is important that heat treatment does not affect the taste characteristics of the product. Mash salad acquires a specific texture without loss of astringency and nutty notes.

General characteristics

Corn lettuce belongs to Field salads (alternative names – spikelet/garden valerianella) from the genus Valerianella, the Valerian family. The plant grows in Europe, northern Africa and temperate regions of Asia. Naturalization of lettuce is practiced in almost all areas of the globe. This interest in the plant is due to two factors: ease of breeding / care and high popularity in the gastronomic industry.

Brief etymological note: the name of the salad is not universal. Almost every language has an alternative version of it. In English – cornsalad, lamb’s-lettuc, German – Feldsalat, Rapunzel, Spanish – lechuga de campo, French – mâche, doucette, valérianelle, Portuguese – alface. Interestingly, the German origin of the name is associated with the name of the fairy princess Rapunzel.

Botanical description

Lettuce is an annual herbaceous plant of medium size. The plant can reach 10 to 40 centimeters in height. The stem is formed unevenly. Its lower part is angularly furrowed, while the upper part is more round and massive. The lower leaves are spatulate and obtuse, the middle ones are oblong-lanceolate, the upper ones are oblong-linear.

Lettuce blooms in June. The plant forms miniature white flowers that gather in dense semi-umbels. The flower has practically no calyx limb, so it is formed in the form of three abnormally shaped teeth.

Gradually, fruits form from the flowers. They take a round-ovoid shape and reach from 1 to 2,5 millimeters. The fruits are three-nested: two of them are sterile, one is fertile. Sterile nests are inferior in size to the fertile one, so as not to interfere with the maturation of the fetus. The process of full maturation occurs in May-June. The plant remains viable for 3-4 years.

Features of cultivation

Corn lettuce seeds are most often planted simply in open ground. The land must first be prepared – fertilized, cleaned of weeds. The growing season for mash-salad is minimal, so planting can be done at any convenient time of the year.

The best yield indicators were noted in the middle lane during early spring sowing. Corn is hard to tolerate heat – it is this factor that can affect the quality and quantity of the crop. Planting in early spring minimizes the damaging effects of ultraviolet light. Before winter sowing, the soil must be covered with humus or straw.

Chemical composition of the product

Useful Properties

Vitamin A, flavonoids and iron, which are included in the composition, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and help improve the functionality of the heart. Doctors often recommend increasing the consumption of leafy greens for people with pathologies of the cardiovascular system. The component has a complex effect on the body and helps not only the heart, but also the gastrointestinal tract. Greens speed up metabolism, help the body to absorb useful vitamins and nutrients better and more efficiently. Greens facilitate the process of assimilation of products, so after the next meal you will not feel heaviness and desire to lie down. Nutritionists advise adding greens to your diet for the following reasons:

• increase in serving volume due to a useful and low-calorie component;
• fast saturation;
• cleansing the body of toxins;
• harmonization of fiber levels in the body;
• stabilization of the intestines;
• natural weight loss.

The concentration of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in mung bean salad is as close as possible to lemon. Therefore, with colds, a cup of tea with lemon and a bowl of corn salad will be equally effective. Another useful property of the product is the production of collagen. Lettuce stimulates skin renewal, its speedy regeneration and increases the concentration of collagen in the dermis. The skin becomes more well-groomed, nourished and elastic, which facilitates care and significantly improves mood.

The daily requirement of vitamin B9 is contained in 200 grams of corn lettuce. Folic acid is responsible for cell regeneration, hematopoiesis and regulation of lipid/carbohydrate metabolism.

Also, root salad has a positive effect on the functioning of the organs of vision. Vitamin A moisturizes the cornea and protects the eyes from drying out. As a result, the eyes are less tired, the ability to focus improves.

Use of the ingredient in cooking

Korn looks organic both in restaurant haute cuisine and in standard homemade dishes. Sweetish-tart nutty taste, which is hidden in miniature emerald leaves, favorably sets off any gastronomic composition. It is the versatility of mash-salad that attracts the consumer. The product can be combined with everything in the world – meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, cheese and even sweets. Corn salad is especially fond of the French – most often it is used for contrast in complex restaurant dishes.

The product is considered one of the most powerful gastronomic aphrodisiacs, so a late meal may well set a completely new vector for the movement of the evening.

Vegetarian recipe for beetroot sashimi and corn lettuce

We need:

• beets – 200 g;
• honey (it is recommended to use buckwheat) – 50 g;
• mash salad – 100 g;
• granular mustard – 20 g;
• vegetable oil to taste – 20 ml;
• pine nuts – 20 g;
• salt / pepper to taste.

Preparation

Boil the beets, cut into thin slices, like fish on sashimi. In a glass, mix vegetable oil, mustard and honey. Try to mix the ingredients gently so as not to crush the mustard seeds. In the same glass add salt and pepper to taste.

On a large plate, arrange the corn lettuce base, then the beetroot slices, and drizzle with the honey mustard dressing. Sprinkle pine nuts on top. Gently mix the contents of the plate with salad spoons and serve.

How to make a win-win salad

Salad is not just an addition to the main course (fish / meat / porridge). For many, it is plant foods that are the main component of the diet. It is useful, easily absorbed by the body, quickly saturates, energizes / vitamins and does not create health problems. We rarely think about how to prepare salads and thoughtlessly throw everything that comes to hand onto a plate. To expand your culinary arsenal and diversify your diet, follow the basic rules for making a win-win salad.

Basis

Corn lettuce is perfect as a base. Its sweetish-nutty taste will favorably set off other components of the dish. For those who do not like to chew neutral cabbage leaves, mung bean salad will be a real salvation. Its miniature leaves are filled with a gamut of flavors, and the soft structure of the leaf will not cause problems and awkwardness when eating a salad.

For the base, you can combine several varieties of lettuce – for example, spinach and romaine, or corn and iceberg. Proceed from the principle of “dark lettuce leaves + light.” The dark ones are more bitter and tart, while the light ones are creamy and sweetish. The main thing is to catch the right combination and not overload the dish with only sweet or only bitter ingredients.

The base can be cold or hot. Cold consists only of lettuce leaves. Freshly cooked cereals like quinoa, brown rice, or plain buckwheat can be added to the hot base. You can also add warm vegetables (stewed mushrooms, steamed / grilled vegetables, poached spinach).

Vegetables

The main rule is to think about slicing vegetables. They should easily and freely prick on the fork. At this stage, turn on the fantasy. You can add absolutely everything to the dish: from zucchini to radishes. Almost all vegetables combine favorably with each other, so be guided by individual taste preferences.

beans

Legumes can be added to a salad for added nutritional value. The dish will instantly move from the category of appetizers to the category of main dishes due to the calorie content of beans. If you buy canned chickpeas/beans/lentils, make sure there is no salt in the jar. Spices are added to the salad at the last stage, and excess salt can upset the balance and unprofitably shift the focus of the dish.

Filling

A good dressing should consist of 2-3 components. The simplest and most successful form for refueling: 3-2-1. The concentration of each subsequent dressing component should decrease. Most popular combinations:

• sour cream – mustard – lemon juice;
• balsamic vinegar – Dijon mustard – maple syrup;
• lemon juice – tahini;
• Dijon mustard – lemon juice – tahini.

The final stage

Finish the salad with spices and vegetable seeds. Use flax, hemp, chia and roasted/raw sesame seeds along with black or red pepper, garlic powder, pink Himalayan salt and your favorite dried herbs.

How to choose and store the product

Miniature mung bean salad is most often sold in craft, plastic or cardboard packaging. It is most often impossible to see the quality of each leaf – many of them are hidden in the middle and are simply inaccessible to the human eye. In this case, you need to focus on 3 things: the name of the manufacturing company, the quality of the packaging and the timing of the sale of the goods.

If you buy a product in the market or by weight in a supermarket, then take a closer look at the leaflets:

• they should be a dark emerald color with noticeable streaks;
• the leaves should look healthy, the color is uniform, and the structure is holistic (no torn pieces, notches, etc.);
• there should be no rot on the sheets.

After the purchase, it is necessary to properly prepare the salad for storage. Separate the leaves and wrap them in a slightly damp cloth. Put the woven wrap in the “warmest” compartment of the refrigerator so that excessively low temperatures do not affect the taste and texture of the salad. If you do not want to pack the product in a cloth, then use an airtight plastic or glass container. It is important that the leaves are completely dry before being placed in a container. Keep the container away from other vegetables/fruits to avoid food rotting and mixing odors.

Korn does not like metal objects, and after cutting with a metal knife, it can lose the whole gamut of extraordinary taste. To avoid such a nuisance, tear the salad with your hands. For mixing, it is recommended to use not an ordinary metal spoon, but wooden spatulas / forks / spoons.