A look at some of the more common types of salad greens, along with advice on how to select, wash and store them.
When grown out in the open to full maturity, curly endive takes the flavor of frisee and cranks it up a notch or two, making it more bitter while still maintaining a gentle sweetness. The leaves turn a darker shade of green and become a bit heartier, meaning that they can also withstand cooking. Curly endive is sometimes simply called “chicory,” further adding to the confusion.Compared to curly endive, escarole has nice broad leaves that are less frilly.
on restaurant menus. Remove the sturdy rib and give mature leaves a nice massage to tenderize them. Curly is the most common variety of kale, resplendent with emerald ruffles, but another you are likely to come across is lacinato — also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale — with dark, blue-green leaves.Also known as rocket, arugula’s tender leaves are known for a peppery bite.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg — pun intended — when it comes to the leaves you can use to make salads. Some others to consider include beet and dandelion greens,