Lollo Rossa salad, also called “coral” for its elaborately cut and fancifully colored leaves, is one of the favorite foods on the dining table. Giving the dishes volume, such a plant is characterized by a rich nutty, with a slightly bitter taste.
This beautiful lollo rossa salad
The photo conveys the beauty of such a beautiful garden culture. A plant native to Italy, is one of the varieties of lettuce.
In its chemical composition it contains a huge amount of trace elements important for the human body, among which are magnesium, beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, phosphorus, vitamins K, B9, A, zinc, manganese, sodium, iron and copper. By the presence of potassium, which has a positive effect on the work of the heart, the Lollo Rossa salad is considered the leader in its family. 16 kcal - this is the calorie content of 100 grams of the product.
Useful properties of coral salad
Leafy garden culture is indispensable in dietary nutrition and has a positive effect on immunity. Also, the use of Lollo Rossa salad contributes to:
- memory improvement;
- getting rid of insomnia;
- relieving diabetes mellitus;
- increased hemoglobin;
- enhancing mental activity;
- prevention of atherosclerosis;
- normalization of the thyroid gland;
- optimization of metabolic processes in the body;
- strengthening blood vessels;
- lowering blood sugar;
- weight loss;
- prevention of colds and viral diseases;
- removal of excess nervousness and irritability.
The use of salad is not recommended for people suffering from gout, acute form of enterocolitis, urolithiasis.
Application in culinary art
Lollo Rossa salad (see photo in the article), characterized by an attractive decorative look, is combined with many products; this is a great addition to meat, fish, vegetables, it is excellent with cheeses.
When buying, you should choose a salad in which the leaves are not completely colored in dark red. This indicates that the plant is not overripe.
Fine light breakfast with fresh lettuce served with sliced bacon and poached egg. Combined with cherry tomatoes, olive oil and spices, Lolla Rossa is ideal for a relaxing dinner to end a busy day. Sometimes, to understand that life was a success, it is enough to eat a slice of black bread with a piece of cold boiled pork and a couple of leaves of coral greens.
Lollo rossa salad: planting and care
Planting lettuce is recommended to be done in nutritious, loose, well-moistened soil from April-May (with the establishment of warm weather) until the end of July. Despite the fact that the plant is photophilous, it is better to determine the location with the presence of a small shadow in order to avoid active shooting. It is also worth considering that a lack of light will inhibit the growth of lettuce.
Planting seeds should be carried out to a depth of 1-1.5 cm in pre-prepared moistened furrows.
Plants are recommended to be planted at a distance of 20 cm from each other, row spacing - 25 cm. When watering the planted material, it is recommended to apply the spraying method. At the same time, it is imperative to control that a hardened crust does not form on the soil surface, which prevents the germs from hatching.
Shoots that appeared after a week must be thinned out, leaving a gap of at least 5 cm between the plants. As the growth grows, several more thinning will be needed.
Lollo Ross in home growing
Lollo rossa salad is considered an early ripe variety with a growing season of 40-50 days. It is characterized by a loose head, about 20 cm in diameter. The leaves are very decorative, green in the middle, brown-burgundy at the edges, almost white at the base of the rosette. Cultivation can be done both in open and in closed ground. The advantage of this type of salad is its cold resistance; young plants are able to withstand frosts down to -20 degrees.
Lollo Ross is easy to care for. The plant needs to be weeded periodically and watered under the root with simultaneous application of fertilizing. Watering should be moderate; it is worth considering that with a lack of moisture, lettuce leaves tasteless and lethargic. Lollo Rossa salad, the cultivation of which does not require special knowledge, is characterized by active growth, so the crop can be harvested several times during the season.