So we’ve reached that time of year again. Now the rib fat, rice crust and other Christmas excesses have to be peeled off. And there are many ways to do this, but salads are one of the pillars of a healthy and slim diet.
However, many people think that the salads are a little bland and fear that they will not fill their stomachs. But a salad doesn’t have to consist of just vegetables. Lean protein in the form of fish, shellfish, chicken, and pork helps keep you full without destroying your calorie count. Some cubes of cheese are not to be despised, if done in moderation.
White wine is best
The raw root fruit is a little bitter in nature, and therefore wines without much oak character or prominent tannins should be chosen. Then it’s easier to settle on white and rosé wine rather than red wine. But you can also use red wine for the salad, which we will come to later.
The first choice for salads are wines made from the sauvignon blanc grape, e.g. sancerre and its neighbor pouilly fumé. These wines are not only fresh and fruity; they also have a slightly “green” aroma that goes well with a salad. Along with this type of wine, you can of course also add fish and shellfish to salads.
A good and more affordable alternative to these wines are the white wines of Gascony in southwestern France. Although they are often made from grapes other than sauvignon blanc, they are also fresh and fruity and share somewhat the same aroma profile, albeit in a lighter and simpler style.
Riesling for Asian
When faced with salads with an Asian twist, Riesling is the first choice, especially if the salad contains ginger, lemongrass and/or lime. Riesling’s good fruity sweetness can also cope with the heat of chilies, as well as the sweetness of fruits such as mango and papaya. Of course, you can also use fish and shellfish here, as well as light and red meat. If you have strips of steak or duck breast, and maybe you thought it was a natural with red wine, ginger and other Asian flavors will determine the choice, and then you drink Riesling with this type of salad as well. .
Rosé wine is a good all-round choice for different types of salads, with both seafood and lean meat. Tuna-based salad nicoise is perfect with rosé wine.
What about red wine?
If your salad contains cheese and/or meat and does not have Asian elements, you are welcome to drink red wine with it. But remember what we already mentioned about minimal oak and tannins. Red wine should be light, fruity and juicy in style. A good trick to bridge the gap between salad and red wine is to use red wine vinegar or balsamic in the dressing. Light red wine goes well with chicken and bacon caesar salad.
Recipes
Here are some good salad recipes:
Tuna salad
Caesar salad with chicken and parmesan
Quick chicken salad
Thai melon salad
Salad with mozzarella and grilled chili
This case was first published on 01/17/2014 and last updated on 06/29/2017