My father loved watercress. His idea of a perfect lunch was a cold roast beef sandwich with watercress on the side. He would sprinkle salt on the herb and eat it as is, no flourishes, no salad dressing. This peppery herb was readily available when I was a child, but is more difficult to find today.
Like my father, I'm fond of watercress and, though my grocery store occasionally has it, the times are few. The plant grows along many Minnesota rivers and streams. Though I've seen it, I wouldn't pick it or eat it because it could be contaminated with farm run-off, fertilizer, and pesticides.
A British website, Watercress Recipes, says wild watercress may be harmful to your health. According to the article, "Do Not Eat Wild Watercress," the cleanliness of the water can't be verified, especially if the herb is growing near a factory. "The water might be holding bacterial which can affect the watercress and ultimately affecting humans who will be eating it," the article explains.
Today, the herb is commercially grown and it is safe. You may find it in specialty food stores and farmers' markets. Before you buy watercress, make sure it is displayed in clean, clear water. If you like this herb you may buy a hydroponic growing kit from the Watercresskits website. The kit contains organic seeds and a growing mat. Replacement seeds and mats are available.
I have many historic cookbooks on my shelves and one is "A Matter of Taste: The Definitive Seasoning Cookbook" by Sylvia Windle Humphrey. It contains a recipe for watercress soup and an Old English salad recipe. To make the salad, the herb is first arranged in the middle of a "clean dish." Next comes a layer of sliced oranges and lemons. The salad is garnished with sliced celery, currants, capers and dressed with oil, vinegar, and a little sugar.
These green shoots may be used for pita bread sandwiches, a pizza garnish, chicken and tuna salad, as a garnish for taco salad, and a base for sliced meat, chicken and fish. The more you use the herb, the more uses you will find for it. Rachael Ray has posted her recipe for salad with lime dressing on the Food Network website.
I like to pair these greens with orange and avocado slices, one of my favorite food combinations, and here's the recipe.
Ingredients
1 bunch watercress
2 oranges
1 large avocado
1/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
Wash the watercress under cold running water and pat dry. Transfer greens to salad bowl. Squeeze one orange and set the juice aside. Cut the second orange into segments and scatter over salad. Cut the avocado into thin slices and scatter over salad. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad (you won't need it all) and toss gently. Makes 4-6 servings.
To continue please click here
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/salads-articles/how-to-make-avocado-salads-top-guide-from-expert-just-for-you-5611061.html
About the Author
0 comentarii:
Trimiteți un comentariu