Many people think that in cold weather you need to eat more fried foods, and although I cook a lot of stews and fried dishes in my restaurants in winter, my choice is salads. I love the crunch of seasonal root vegetables and dark lettuce leaves, the color of sweet persimmons and juicy citrus fruits. I really like to combine foods of different colors, flavors and textures. The riot of colors and the rich taste of winter dishes awaken the senses and cheer up, and it’s not so important what happens outside the window. Plus, winter fruit and vegetable salads are so much fun to make! Take, for example, kumquats, those tiny orange fruits with such a dense skin and rich sour taste, cut into thin pieces and decorate with them a salad of beets and endive leaves. And this is just the beginning! And how luxurious the mix of various leafy salads with rare and dill looks under sour cream sauce with herbs! Any nondescript winter vegetables can become superstars in salads. Grapes bring a juicy sweetness to a salad of arugula, goat cheese and roasted pecans. And how incredibly beautiful cruciferous vegetables are! I will share one of my favorite recipes. Sauté the cauliflower until golden brown on both sides, toss with sweet carrot chunks and tart dandelion leaves, and season with tahini for a very hearty and balanced salad. Salad Secrets 1. Greens love to preen To rinse and refresh lettuce leaves, dip them in a bowl of ice water, shake gently to remove dirt, and soak in water for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove so that the sand does not rise from the bottom of the bowl. Since wet lettuce leaves prevent the dressing from distributing evenly, and it ends up at the bottom of the bowl, they should be dried. To do this, use a salad dryer, and then blot the greens with a clean kitchen towel. If you don’t have a salad dryer, wrap the greens in a towel, grab the corners of the towel to form a kind of bag, and twist it in one direction a few times. 2. Don’t over dressing When preparing a salad, use a small amount of dressing. Dress the salad just before serving, as the greens wilt when exposed to the acid in the lemon juice and vinegar. The classic proportion: 3 parts oil to 1 part acid allows you to make the taste of the dressing balanced. 3. Size matters The volume of the bowl should be twice the volume of the salad, then with just a couple of light movements you can gently mix all the ingredients without damaging them. Source: rodalesorganiclife.com Translation: Lakshmi
2022-11-11