How To Balance Bitter Greens In A Salad

There is a place in the culinary world for water-rich iceberg, tender butter lettuce, and crunchy romaine, but salads that only use the mildest lettuces can get boring. Bitter greens are your ticket to exciting and complex meals, but that sharp flavor can be overwhelming. That's why The Takeout tapped into the expertise of Jason Stern, executive chef at Boone's in Atlanta. He gave us some tips for how to balance bitter greens.

"All salads are about balance," Stern told The Takeout, which means they need to be thoughtfully paired with ingredients that temper strong flavors. "With a bitter green, I would pair something with sweeter notes, say a dressing with agave in it," he explained. Really, any sweet sauce can do the job of tamping down strong bitter tastes — like a flavorful jam jar vinaigrette or a dressing made with a fruity vinegar.

"Then, I would start rounding out the salad with seasonal vegetables and fruits, something pickled, and a cheese with a fat content to balance the bitterness," Stern shared. That necessary sweetness can also come from fruits and vegetables, like berries, ripe tomatoes, roasted corn, or shaved carrots. Pickled watermelon rinds, cucumbers, onions, radishes, and more can bring balancing acidity, as can vinegar, cultured dairy, and citrus — these tangy ingredients decrease the perception of bitterness. Fat does a similar thing, softening bitter edges and making them more pleasant, while the greens, in turn, cut through rich flavors — think oil, cheese, avocado, Greek yogurt, bacon, and nuts, the latter of which Stern also uses to finish off salad with some crunch.

Jason Stern shared some of his favorite bitter salad greens. When it comes to those on the milder end of the spectrum, one of his preferred vegetables is arugula. "I have it on every menu," he said. "Its slightly bitter notes and its heavy peppery back are pleasing to me." In line with his own advice, Boone's has featured an arugula salad with feta cheese, pickled ginger, pomegranate, and a blood orange vinaigrette. Frisee is another great option. "Its thin, crisp leaves pair well with slightly sweet salad components," he explained.

As for greens with bolder, bitter flavors, Stern is partial to escarole and endive. He's also a fan of dandelion greens, but he recommended using them during the spring months when they have a less intense flavor.

Radicchio is yet another bitter salad ingredient that Stern suggested, but he did share that it requires special treatment. "Not only do I cook it, but its flavor is so intense that when we start adding it to salads, we do so in moderation," he explained, adding, "It is too strong to be taken as the star of the salad." As for how to prepare the radicchio, here's what Stern suggested: "I prefer it grilled, then wrapped in a container to steam with residual heat. It will cook all the way through after a 10-minute rest." Once cooled, cut it up and add it sparingly alongside more mild lettuces and plenty of sweet, tangy, and rich accompaniments.