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Definition: Frisee

partysugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 13:01:18 -0700

Frisee
A green leafy vegetable with pale, delicate, slender leaves that range in color from light yellow-white to yellow-green. The feathery, mildly bitter vegetable is often used in salad mixes. Purchase crisp frisee with no signs of wilting, refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 5 days and rinse clean just before using.

Definition: Mesclun

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 03:18:52 -0800

Mesclun
A salad mixture of small, young salad greens. It can include lettuce, spinach, arugula, frisée, Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, sorrel. The name mesclun comes from Southern French mescla "to mix." It is also commonly known as mixed salad.

Today's Special: Poached Eggs with Pancetta and Tossed Mesclun

partysugar — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 07:58:32 -0700

The last time I was in Buenos Aries I had the most amazing salad at Bar Uriarte. I hastily wrote down the ingredients on a scrap of paper and was determined to recreate the salad once I arrived back stateside. Even though I lost the piece of paper, the memory of this salad still lives on in my brain. I even begged my sister to go back to Uriarte and steal a menu, but she refused to support my crazed cooking antics. When I saw this recipe for poached eggs with pancetta on top of a bed of crispy greens, I immediately thought of the deliciousness that was had that sunny summer afternoon in Argentina. Although the Uriarte salad was a little different, I'm going to give this recipe a few tries, tweaking it until I come up with the salad that I so clearly envision in my mind. It's simple, easy, and makes for a wonderful weeknight dinner, so read more

Poached Eggs with Pancetta and Tossed Mesclun
from Food & Wine magazine

8 large eggs
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
2 scallions, thinly sliced
10 cups mesclun (about 6 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Toast points or steamed, sliced new potatoes, for serving

Bring a large, deep skillet filled with 2 inches of water to a simmer.
Crack each egg into a cup and gently slide it into the water. Cook until the whites are solid but the yolks are still soft, 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a paper towellined plate to drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
Add the pancetta and cook over moderately high heat until crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the shallot and cook until softened, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar, tarragon and scallions.
In a bowl, toss the mesclun with the dressing; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to plates, top with the eggs and serve with toast points.

Serves 4.

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Know Your Greens

partysugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:28:39 -0700

No salad week would be complete without a glossary of greens. The base and heart of any salad, greens are crisp, healthy, and when properly paired and dressed, absolutely delicious. Never store leafy vegetables in a wet plastic bag because they will rot quickly. Vegetables need moisture and air to survive, so store in the fridge in a loosely wrapped paper towel in an open plastic bag. When kept properly, greens should store for about 3-5 days in the fridge. When purchasing greens look for brightly colored, perky looking leaves and steer clear of any with brown spots, yellowed edges, or limpness. If you are unsure of the difference between radicchio and red leaf lettuce, refer to my greens glossary which you will find when you read more

Mesclun: A salad mixture of small, young salad greens. It can include lettuce, spinach, arugula, frisée, Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, sorrel. The name mesclun comes from Southern French mescla "to mix." It is also commonly known as mixed salad.

Spinach: With deep, dark green leaves, this vegetable is great mixed with other greens, as a salad, or cooked. It has a slightly bitter taste and wilts down to a much smaller quantity when cooked.

Romaine: A type of lettuce that grows in a long narrow head of leaves. Excellent for salads and sandwiches. Caesar salads made this green tremendously popular.

Red Leaf: A leafy green that grows from a stalk with a decorative frilled red edge. Great on sandwiches or in salads, this lettuce also works well as a decorative garnish to plates of cheese, salumi, and vegetables.

Green Leaf: Another leafy green that is used for salads and in sandwiches. These greens provide a crispy texture and mellow taste.

Iceberg: The least favored salad lettuce is a crisp headed green with light colored leaves that are densely packed. Best served as a wedge with bacon bits and a decadent drizzle of blue cheese dressing.

Arugula: Dark green leaves with a tangy, peppery flavor. Also called rocket, this green belongs to the mustard family, can be used in salads, rice and pasta dishes, and as a topping on pizza.

Bibb: A buttery lettuce with a tapered head and light green leaves. Makes a scrumptious salad.

Radicchio: A bitter green from the chicory family. The leaves have a vibrant burgundy-red color with white ribs. Used in salads and tastes great grilled or roasted.

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