Crisp or soft salad leaves?

[Morning Glory]

Which do you prefer? It seems that soft salad leaves have become increasingly popular here judging by the supermarket shelves - offerings such as rocket (arugula), lambs lettuce, oak leaf, chard, baby leaf spinach etc. which are often sold ready washed in mixed salad bags.

I much prefer crisp salad leaves- including the much maligned iceberg lettuce. But also cos (Romaine), baby gem, chicory (endive), watercress. I suppose the latter is crisp and soft.

Do you have a preference?

 

[CraigC]

Crisp for most salads, but love "wilted" salads with warm dressing. I like a nice wedge salad with iceberg lettuce.

 

[Morning Glory]

Crisp for most salads, but love "wilted" salads with warm dressing. I like a nice wedge salad with iceberg lettuce.

What sort of leaves would you use in a wilted salad?

 

[CraigC]

Baby spinach. I also like mayo-less slaw where the dressing is poured over the cabbage, etc. while hot.

 

[niemela23]

I like both, but I prefer a crisp lettuce on something like a sandwich or burger, and I always do my Caesar salads with Romaine. I like softer lettuces in most other salads, or as a topping put on a tray of nachos when they come out of the oven, it wilts down fast because of the warmth of the 'chos, and adds *some* healthiness to what otherwise is probably a pretty unhealthy dish (depending on how you make your nachos, of course!)

 

[Karen W]

Sometimes it depends on the dish I am making.

A firmer leaf like Romaine, is nice halved lengthwise, brushed with oil and grilled -- with bacon, cherry tomatoes and croutons, topped with blue cheese or buttermilk dressing.

Sometimes I like a softer prettier leaf like butter lettuce (Bibb/Boston) for a wrap, or spread out on a platter as a bed for or surrounded by grilled asparagus, sliced tomatoes, grilled shrimp and dressing of choice.

The cup-like shape of Endive leaves make for nice appetizers when filled with chopped apples or pears, blue cheese Etc, or in a salad.

 

[Morning Glory]

A firmer leaf like Romaine, is nice halved lengthwise, brushed with oil and grilled

I love that too!

Sometimes it depends on the dish I am making.

A good point - they are plenty of times when delicate leaves are more appropriate.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I always want a little crunch in my salad; I consider a wilted salad to be a different enough experience that I almost don't consider them to be a salad (even if they technically are). What I mean is: I don't use them in a salad course, but more likely in a main course.

I've lately gone a bit bonkers about how crunchy I want my salads to be: raw kale, raw brussels sprouts, raw carrots, raw radishes, with a few minutes to allow the dressing to slightly soften them before I crunch away.

 

[oddduck]

I love iceberg on my tacos, burritos, taco salad, and black bean sandwiches...there is just something about the waterful fresh crunch that complements the beans.

But i really like baby kale, baby spinach, and baby chard on sandwiches.

 

[rascal]

Not big on salads unless it's iceberg and done my way. My family love my Thai salad.wife buys baby lettuce leaves, spinach and frilly lettuce all individually packed. Mixed up with everything else. I only like iceberg so i don't normally eat the Thai salad. Other lettuces I find texture like paper. Just me, but I like what I like.


Russ

 

[Karen W]

…

Sometimes I like a softer prettier leaf like butter lettuce (Bibb/Boston) for a wrap, or spread out on a platter as a bed for or surrounded by grilled asparagus, sliced tomatoes, grilled shrimp and dressing of choice,.. i.e. Dijon dressing, Worcestershire sauce, etc....

Example

 

[Karen W]

I love that too!...

Like a Grilled BLT Salad w Buttermilk Dressing.

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/blt-salad-with-buttermilk-dressing-1/

 

[epicuric]

A firmer leaf like Romaine, is nice halved lengthwise, brushed with oil and grilled -- with bacon, cherry tomatoes and croutons, topped with blue cheese or buttermilk dressing

This has given me inspiration for breakfast - a deconstructed BLT!

 

[epicuric]

I recently rediscovered these:

The traditional British round lettuce. Soft leaves, packed with flavour, perfect in a sandwich. I remember eating lettuce sandwiches when I was really young - just a few of these leaves, sprinkled with salt between two slices of buttered bread.

 

[niemela23]

I always want a little crunch in my salad; I consider a wilted salad to be a different enough experience that I almost don't consider them to be a salad (even if they technically are). What I mean is: I don't use them in a salad course, but more likely in a main course.

I've lately gone a bit bonkers about how crunchy I want my salads to be: raw kale, raw brussels sprouts, raw carrots, raw radishes, with a few minutes to allow the dressing to slightly soften them before I crunch away.

Yum, sounds delish'. If it was me, I could see myself then possibly adding even more wonderful crunchy things like toasted nuts or seeds, banana chips or sliced water chestnuts, raw snap peas. Salads can be such a wonder! <3


-J