Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [61]
Pros: A match for simple dressings, stone fruits, toasted nuts, corn, and mild vegetables
Cons: Turns depressingly gooey if long-dressed
Crisphead Lettuce
Common Varietal: Iceberg
Exotic Varietal(s): Great Lakes, Vanguard, Western, Imperial, Reine de Glace
What It Looks Like: A compact, tight, cabbage-like ball
What You Look For: Heavy to the hand, a rust-free stem, and no brown spots on the leaves
What You Get: A mildly acidic but clean canvas for other flavors; crunch without bitterness
Pros: For muscular, well-stocked salads and creamy dressings; can be served in wedges
Cons: Watery and insipid if grown improperly; turns bitter in the heat
Loose-Leaf Lettuce
Common Varietal(s): Red Leaf, Green Leaf
Exotic Varietal(s): Lolla Rossa, Red Oak Leaf, Green Oak Leaf
What It Looks Like: Flappy, wide, soft leaves that gently lift off a base
What You Look For: A conical head, tight at the bottom but looser at the top
What You Get: A mild, grassy, sweet taste
Pros: An excellent second fiddle to other greens
Cons: Can glom onto the roof of your mouth; wrong for burgers and sandwiches
Long-Leaf Lettuce
Common Varietal: Romaine
Exotic Varietal: Cos
What It Looks Like: Broad, stiff, crunchy spear that skyrockets off a tight base
What You Look For: A compact core, spot-free stem, leaves that shade from pale green to dark, each with a firm, pale spine
What You Get: Crisp leaves with a slightly bitter, almost tart flavor
Pros: A crunch against creamy dressings and with softer lettuces
Cons: The darker, the more astringent
Chicories and Endives
These originally separate categories are now fused because of their common trait: a refreshing pepperiness. The name-game gets complicated because of French, British, and American traditions. Be forewarned: these “greens” (not all of them are green) can be astringent and tough. To avoid the problem? Choose young, small heads.
Chicory
Common Varietal: Sugarloaf
Exotic Varietal(s): Grumolo, Catalogna
What It Looks Like: A curly, loose-leaf head with moderately stiff leaves that may or may not frizz at the edges
What You Look For: Fleshy leaves with firm (but not rigid or fibrous) stems
What You Get: A toothy, somewhat acidic bite
Pros: Its sophisticated taste and chewy texture pairs well with creamy and sweet dressings
Cons: Easily overwhelms mild greens; mature, dark leaves can be tough
Red Chicory
Common Varietal(s): Radicchio, Chioggia Radicchio, Verona Radicchio (round heads)
Exotic Varietal(s): Treviso (spear head), Castel-franco (yellow-tinged)
What It Looks Like: A waxy, firm head with pronounced white veins
What You Look For: A tight head that is heavy to the hand
What You Get: A pleasant bitterness that in moderation will not overwhelm milder lettuces
Pros: Its substantial texture and bite (even roasted or grilled)
Cons: Leaves long exposed to the light can be tough and shockingly bitter
Dandelion Greens
Common Varietal: (same)
Exotic Varietal: (same)
What It Looks Like: Long, spiky, jagged leaves with a tubular stem
What You Look For: Pliable, resilient leaves
What You Get: An aggressive bitterness that cries out for balsamic or creamy dressings
Pros: A combative edge against citrus and sliced onions; can be chopped and stirred into soups for a sour spark
Cons: Can be a bully in the salad bowl
Belgian Endive
Common Varietal: Belgian Endive
Exotic Varietal(s): California (or Red Leaf) Endive
What It Looks Like: A waxy, spearlike head fringed in yellow or red
What You Look For: A pale, tight head with color only at the edges; should be wrapped in tissue paper to protect it from the light
What You Get: A crunchy, tender spike in salads; ironically, these are actually chicories, not endives, grown in the dark off a root base
Pros: Pairs well with tomatoes, cheese, basil, smoked salmon, or creamy dressings
Cons: Turns increasingly pungent when exposed to light
Curly Endive
Common Varietal: Curly Chicory
Exotic Varietal: Frisée
What It Looks Like: A frizzy, lacy, floppy green with leaves that end