Kitchen Diva: Spring mix greens herald a new season

Years ago, when bags and bins of spring mix lettuce greens first appeared in the grocery stores in early March, I must admit, I was skeptical. To me, spring mix looked like small leaves of multicolored lettuce mixed with lawn clippings.

The variety of colors and flavors, textures and varieties were radically different from my traditional — and quite frankly boring — salad consisting of iceberg and romaine leaves, and maybe a tomato or two.

After trying spring mix, I’ve become a fan of the interesting combination of flavors and textures. Now one of my favorite spring pastimes is visiting my local farmers market and looking at all the varieties of lettuce greens at their colorful best.

Spring mix, also known as “mesclun,” is a name used for a salad mixture of leaves of various species. The name comes from the Spanish word “mezclar,” which translates as “to mix.” Traditional mesclun usually consisted of chervil, arugula, lettuce and endive.

Now, spring mix is typically made up of 16 fresh greens and lettuces of varying tastes and textures, including red romaine, baby spinach, radicchio, green romaine, red oak leaf, mizuna, red leaf, lollo rosso, arugula, red mustard, green mustard, red chard, frisee and tatsoi. About half of the greens and lettuces are sweet and mild, while others provide a complementary, slightly bitter edge.

Spring mix is available year-round with a peak season in spring and summer. These delicate greens contain a punch of flavor and are packed with vitamins A, C and E, calcium and potassium.

Here’s an overview of the many types of spring mix lettuce greens.

Arugula or Rocket: Typically has long, spiked, dark green leaves and a strong, peppery flavor, especially when the leaves are larger and wild-harvested. Cultivated arugula varies in intensity of flavor, so taste before using. Arugula adds a bold punch to salads or an intense note as an ingredient in hearty dishes.

Little Gem lettuce: A mixture of soft leaves with a slight crunch, similar to butter lettuce in texture.

Mesclun: A combination of tender, wild-harvested or cultivated young greens. Most mesclun varieties include greens with texture and peppery flavor such as curly endive, mezzaluna, mustard leaves, watercress, arugula, purslane, cress, Asian greens like mizuna, red kale and chicory, and a few herbs such as cilantro, basil or parsley.

Mache, Corn Salad or Lamb’s Lettuce: Grows in a tight bunch of four or five leaves attached to a root. It has more flavor and texture than most salad greens, but requires more care when cleaning because grit and dirt tend to settle in the rosette-shaped leaves near the roots.

Dandelion: Greens are a dark emerald color and are bitter. They add a distinctive flavor component when added raw, but lose some of their sharpness when cooked low and slow.

Escarole: Has a subtle bite, hearty texture and a longer growing season. During the spring months, escarole is sweeter and at its tender best. Add it raw to provide complexity to a salad or as an interesting addition to cooked dishes in place of spinach.

Pea Greens: These are the giant, tangled vines on which peas grow. Pea greens are typically available at farmers markets in spring and early summers.

Break out the salad bowl and try a variety of spring mix lettuce greens in nontraditional ways. This recipe showcases spring mix salad topped with crunchy cucumber slices, seeds or nuts, tart cherries, creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of Maple Balsamic Dressing. It’s a delicious way to welcome spring!

Spring Greens With Goat Cheese And Cherries

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) bag spring mix greens

12 cherry or grape tomatoes or 2 small/medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/2 large cucumber, sliced

1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries

3 tablespoons roasted, salted sunflower seeds or roasted almonds

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

For the Maple Balsamic Dressing:

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or maple-flavored agave syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure

Add the greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, dried cherries or cranberries, and sunflower seeds into a large bowl or platter. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and toss lightly with desired amount of dressing, then top with crumbled goat cheese.

To make the Maple Balsamic Dressing: Whisk everything together in a medium bowl until emulsified, or place all the ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting top and shake until everything is well-combined. Store remaining dressing in the fridge for up to 1 week. Shake to recombine the ingredients before using. Makes about 1/2 cup.