Ingredients
Fruit
- 2apples, finely diced
- 300 gpineapple, finely diced
- 1mango, diced
- 2oranges, segmented and chopped
- 150 ggrapes, halved
Vegetable
- 150 glettuce, very finely shredded
- 1cucumber, finely diced
Liquid
- 1 litreorange juice
- 500 mlpineapple juice
- 150 gsugar, or to taste
- juice of 2 limes
Sometimes
- a splash of soda water
- a few mint leaves
To serve
- very cold, in cups, at a fiesta
Directions
- Roll the leaves into a tight cigar and slice them into fine threads. Shred it as finely as you can, since long strips are unpleasant to drink around.
- Use a crisp lettuce such as iceberg or romaine rather than a soft one, which goes limp immediately. Firm fruit is better than soft, since soft fruit disintegrates into pulp.
- Toss it in lime juice as soon as it is chopped, which slows that considerably.
- Add sugar and taste, since fruit and juice both vary enormously in sweetness. Dissolve the sugar in a little warm water first, since granulated sugar will not dissolve in a cold liquid.
- Add plenty of fresh lime juice. The acid is what stops it tasting flat and cloying, and it is easy to under-add.
- Taste and add more if it seems dull. Refrigerate it for at least two hours before serving. Add ice to the cups rather than to the whole batch. Chill the punch itself instead.
- Serve it in cups with a spoon, or with a wide straw. Stir it before serving, since the fruit settles.
Technique
- Shredded lettuce is a genuine ingredient rather than a garnish.
- Everything is chopped very finely, since it is drunk from a cup.
- Do not make it more than a few hours ahead, since the lettuce wilts.
Substitutions
- Any firm seasonal fruit, finely diced.
- Bottled juice, though fresh is better.
Variations
- With soda water added for fizz.
- With mint leaves through it.
- Made without lettuce, which is a departure.
History
A Salvadoran fiesta drink whose name means salad, served in cups at Independence Day and patron-saint celebrations.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ensalada?
Ensalada is a drink from El Salvador: chilled fruit punch of chopped apple, pineapple and lettuce in juice. A Salvadoran fiesta drink whose name means salad, served in cups at Independence Day and patron-saint celebrations.
How long does Ensalada take to make?
Ensalada takes 30 min plus 2 hr chilling of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Ensalada?
Yes, within limits. Any firm seasonal fruit, finely diced. Bottled juice, though fresh is better.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ensalada?
Use a crisp lettuce such as iceberg or romaine rather than a soft one, which goes limp immediately. Firm fruit is better than soft, since soft fruit disintegrates into pulp.
