I often write "simple leaf salad" in my meal plans. But it seems that there is a need to clarify how simple it is and what to do so that it is not three boring sheets of iceberg, splashed with olive oil. So that the salad causes admiration, not sadness.

There are only a few secrets for a delicious leaf salad:

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1. Variety. Do not use only 1 type of salad, always mix. The darker the greens, the more useful they are and the brighter the taste. An ideal combination is 2 types of dark greens (spinach, kale, chard, romaine, chicory, endive, sorrel, arugula, etc.) and 2 types of aromatic greens (dill, parsley, cilantro, tarragon, mint, chives, even leeks
2. Perfect balance of flavors. Crunch. This is a new addition to the old basic rule. The old basic idea is to combine all tastes in a dish as much as possible: sour, salty, sweet, bitter, spicy. Umami. Let's take an example. Sour sorrel in salad or vinegar, lemon juice in dressing. Salty salt or soy sauce in the dressing. Sweet honey, agave syrup or even a pinch of sugar in the dressing, apple, grapefruit, pear or persimmon, berries in the salad. Bitter - arugula, thyme, cilantro, onion, garlic, mustard. Spicy - a little chili or a couple of drops of Tabasco. Umami is a brothy taste that connects the previous ones, it is obtained from a protein component - from poultry or salted salmon, goat cheese or shrimp, umami is isolated in the composition of spinach, very ripe tomatoes, mushrooms and algae. My simple version of umami is a drop of fish or soy sauce in the dressing. New update for the rule - added crunch. It can be carrot, cucumber or sweet pepper in thin pieces, some crunchy nuts or radish, daikon, apple.
3. Seasoning. Actually, as what follows from the previous points. Having made a basic salad, we correct the missing flavors in the dish with the dressing.
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