Lettuce
added 05/12/09
by Victoria Hicks
Local produce is just beginning to arrive in our stores in May and June, and among the eagerly anticipated first crops is fresh garden lettuce.
Lettuce can be placed in one of four general categories: crisphead, butterhead, romaine, or loose-leaf. A good example of a crisphead is the iceberg lettuce with its round head comprised of tightly packed leaves. Butterheads are also round but smaller, with tender, soft leaves that are more loose and have a delicate flavor. Elongated leaves and thick white ribs are the outstanding physical characteristics of romaine. Leaf lettuces produce crisp leaves loosely arranged on the stalk.
Here are many of the lettuces we see in our produce department:
- Boston/Bibb. A member of the butterhead group, this deliciously tender head lettuce has a pleasing flavor and takes dressing well. Small leaves may be left whole, the larger ones broken with the fingers. They are fragile and must be washed and dried with care. The sweet delicate flavor of these lettuces is best brought out when they’re tossed with a tart vinaigrette. Whole heads may be braised.
- Chicory. Sometimes called curly endive or frisée, this robust, crisp salad green has a slightly bitter tang. It goes well with other greens and may be braised. Drizzle it with a bold dressing like ranch or a hot bacon, or use the feathery leaves for garnishing.
- Endive. Also called Belgian endive, this small elongated lettuce with a tight head is blanched for marketing and carefully packed, so it requires little cleaning. Crisp in texture with a delicately bitter flavor, this is one of the choicest salad greens and, as the heads have no waste, they go a long way. Use leaves whole, shredded, or cut into julienne strips or rings. Separated leaves may be stuffed with various hors d’oeuvre mixtures, and they combine well with the sweetness of chopped beets. Endive also braises or sautés beautifully.
- Escarole. This rather coarse-leafed, chewy, slightly bitter green is a favorite green in Italy where it is often tossed with lemon, garlic, and olive oil or made into a soup. It is preferred to use only the tender green-yellow inner leaves for salads, where escarole goes well with apples, toasted nuts, blue cheese, or a creamy mustard dressing. May be braised.
- Iceberg lettuce. Many people malign it, but when broken up into manageable chunks—not huge wedges—iceberg adds good flavor and a wonderfully crisp texture to a salad of mixed greens. It keeps longer than other lettuce and is often served with Thousand Island or another thick, creamy dressing in chopped salads.
- Leaf lettuce. Red or green lettuce with loose leaves that branch from the stalk rather than forming a head is known as leaf lettuce. The curly, fringed leaves are very decorative and add great color to mixed salads. The tender, grassy flavor of this lettuce is wonderful with herbs and simple vinaigrettes, and the red variety is highest in antioxidants of all lettuces. Wash, dry, and use leaf lettuce immediately, as leaves wilt quickly.
- Mesclun Salad. Also called spring mix, mesclun is simply a mix of immature lettuce harvested while when the leaves are very small and tender. This delicate salad requires little more than a good dressing before serving.
Depending on availability, typical mesclun mixes are likely to include red oak leaf—a dark red lettuce with narrow leaves that resemble oak leaves; green and red romaine, which have oval leaves and a crunchy texture; lallarosa—small, round, ruffled red leaves with frosty green interiors and a soft texture; and frisée—pencil-thin, feathery leaves of ivory-yellow that add both body and depth to the salad. A mix may also include arugula, baby spinach, radicchio, mizuna, bronze leaf, red and green butter lettuces and red chard.
- Radicchio. Dark reddish-purple, this is either a compact round head or oblong like its relative, endive. Though the former does lend a pretty color to salads, its leaves can be leathery and bitter. The elongated Treviso is crisper, lighter, and more flavorful. Both are in the endive-chicory family and complement salads composed of softer greens. Try grilled radicchio halves served with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and shards of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top.
- Romaine lettuce. This head lettuce has long, crisp leaves shading from bright green to yellow. One of the most sought-after members of the lettuce group, it has excellent texture and flavor. Romaine is recommended for salads that need a lot of tossing, such as Caesar salad, as it does not wilt, and is perfect for dressing with heavier flavors like bacon, garlic, and blue cheese. Break large leaves into pieces; leave small ones whole. Coarse outer leaves may be added to soups.
The spine and ribs of lettuce provide dietary fiber, while vitamins and minerals are concentrated in the delicate leaf portion. Its most important nutrients are potassium and vitamin A in the form of beta carotene (its characteristic yellow-orange color is hidden by green chlorophyll pigments). The darker green, the more beta carotene, flavor, and nutritional value.
Wash and dry lettuce thoroughly before using. Wrap it loosely in paper towels or a clean dish towel, put into a plastic bag, and store in the vegetable crisper or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Before washing head lettuce, such as Boston, cut out the core. Hold the head core side up under running water; the leaves will then separate easily. Salad dryers with a centrifugal action are good for all but very delicate Bibb lettuce, which bruises easily. Limp, soggy, or insipid salads can result when the greens are not thoroughly dried and crisped before being tossed.
Use your imagination in composing a salad. If using more than one green, consider which need emphasis. Delicate Boston lettuce would be overpowered by coarse, tough greens such as escarole and chicory. About two loosely packed cups of torn lettuce is perfect for a single serving of a simple green salad.
Prepare salad at the last minute so it will stay fresh and crisp. Break or tear large leaves into bite-sized pieces with your hands, leaving smaller ones whole. Put the greens in the salad bowl, pour some of the vinaigrette sauce over them, and toss gently. Add more vinaigrette as needed, until each leaf is lightly coated. Don’t drown your salads. Serve at once.
A good vinaigrette is crucial to making a good salad. Its success depends on the quality of the ingredients, which can be as simple as oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. The addition of mustard is perfect when you are dressing greens that need some extra punch, such as bitter chicory. Use either French-style Dijon mustard or dry, hot mustard. Blend one-half to one teaspoon with the salt, pepper, and vinegar before mixing with the oil.
Here is a basic vinaigrette recipe for a green salad serving 4 (about 8 cups loosely packed greens).
1 tsp. coarse (kosher) salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1½ to 2 Tbs. wine vinegar
6 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
Blend the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, a whisk, or a fork, using 1½ tablespoons vinegar. Starting with less vinegar allows you to taste and adjust accordingly to find your perfect balance. This makes about ½ cup.
Caesar Salad
Serves 6
This popular classic—for which there are many recipes—was created by a restaurateur in Tijuana, Mexico, in the 1920’s.
2 heads romaine lettuce
2 cups diced bread of good quality
4 Tbs. plus 8 Tbs. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt to taste
12 to 15 anchovy fillets, finely cut
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 egg, coddled 1 minute, OR 1 Tbs. mayonnaise
freshly ground pepper to taste
½ to ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Wash the romaine thoroughly and dry well. Wrap in a tea towel or paper towels and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sauté the diced bread in 4 Tbs. olive oil with the garlic cloves. Shake the pan well, and cook over medium heat until the croutons are delicately browned and crisp. Remove the garlic and drain the croutons on absorbent paper.
In a chilled salad bowl, break the greens into bite-size pieces. Add the 8 Tbs. olive oil and toss well so that each leaf is coated. Add the croutons, salt, anchovies, pepper, and lemon juice. Break the egg into the bowl and toss again before adding the grated Parmesan cheese.
Wilted Lettuce
Serves 6
This is one of the oldest, and probably the most functional, of salads. Its earthy quality makes it an interesting salad still.
2 heads lettuce or other greens (chicory with mustard greens is good)
4 to 6 slices bacon or salt pork, cut into small dice
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tsp. mustard
salt (optional)
2 Tbs. or more chopped onion (optional)
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (optional)
Clean and dry the lettuce or greens and arrange in a warm salad bowl. Fry the bacon or salt pork in a heavy skillet until crisp; transfer to the salad bowl. Add sugar, vinegar, mustard, and salt to the skillet. Swirl ingredients to blend well and simmer till the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the lettuce and toss lightly. Add chopped onion and egg and serve at once.
Braised Greens or Lettuce
Serves 4-6
Braised lettuce makes an excellent accompaniment to chicken or creamed dishes and is an ideal neutral vegetable to pair with fine wine. Use the outside leaves of lettuce, or in the case of Bibb, Boston, Endive, or Romaine, the whole head. Cook in the same way as described below.
2 pounds mustard greens or escarole
6 Tbs. olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Wash the greens well and pick over. Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan and add the garlic and greens. Cover, and steam 20 to 25 minutes, adding water, if needed. Add salt and pepper and serve very hot with lemon juice or vinegar.
Springtime Salad of Pine Nuts and Avocados
Serves 2-3
½ head butterhead lettuce
1 small avocado, peeled and chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts
2 Tbs. alfalfa or radish sprouts
¼ cup minced red onion
2 Tbs. grated mozzarella cheese (or any other cheese as desired)
1 Tbs. minced cilantro
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 Tbs. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces and place in a large serving bowl. Add the avocado, tomato, pine nuts, sprouts, red onion, cheese, and cilantro. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, honey, and garlic in a small bowl. Add the oil gradually, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper. Add dressing to taste, and serve the remainder on the side.
Chiffonade Salad
Serves 3-4
This used to be considered a most stylish salad to serve with dinner.
1 head romaine, shredded
1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 green peppers, shredded
3 or 4 small tomatoes, peeled and quartered
½ cup white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
fresh rosemary leaves
2 cloves garlic
Make a bed of romaine on a platter or in a shallow bowl. On it arrange the grapefruit sections, peppers, and tomatoes. Dress with the vinaigrette sauce:
In a blender mix together the vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper, a few fresh rosemary leaves, and the garlic. Blend 10-15 seconds until the rosemary and garlic are finely minced. Gradually add 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, and continue to mix 10 to 15 seconds or until all is mixed well.
