This isn’t a recipe for a ten leaf salad. It’s just a list of the potential ingredients. It’s what I like to eat after a thirty or forty kilometre hill walk. I’m usually tired and hungry enough that I become lazy, estimating the quantities by bags, half bags or handfuls. I chuck them all into a large mixing bowl, calories uncounted and if eating alone, I eat it all from the same bowl.
It’s easier to source the ingredients and stock the fridge in the summer but you’ll do fine as long as you use the best quality of whatever you choose, whether these ingredients or available substitutes. Jaded ingredients will degrade the experience so check the best-by dates. I tend to avoid kale, radicchio and endive for fear of bitterness.
There was a time when I would add a few handfuls of seafood but that was before I became fully vegetarian. Now I might add some grilled or baked halloumi instead. But neither are actually required.
I don’t record where all the food comes from but I think you should at least recognise how global our food commerce has become. So I make a point to read the bags for countries of origin.
And by the way, spend big on the balsamic. The older, the more viscous, the better flavour but it’s hard on the wallet.
It’s hard jaw work with all those leaves. Our kitchen scissors is very helpful to have to hand. Relax and take your time eating it. Feet up in front of the news perhaps?
Leaves:
Rocket
Watercress
Spinach
Red Baby Leaf Lettuce
Iceberg Lettuce
Lamb’s Lettuce
Romain Lettuce
Coriander Leaf
Chard
Mizuna
Squidge:
Hass Avocado
Tomatoes
Blueberries
Zing:
Coriander seeds
Grated ginger
Crunch:
Pumpkin seeds (ideally these should be roasted)
Pine nuts (toasted are best).
Milled flax seed or hemp or whatever
Dried goji berries
Shredded Beetroot
Lube:
Balsamic vinegar (Italy)
Olive, sesame and rape oils
Dijon Mustard
Pepper and salt plus maybe a very light dust of dried, flaked chillies, if that’s your thing.
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