It is the basis of all salads. People have turned to it to replace bread on their sandwiches. It comes in several varieties, some of which are sweet or bitter. Yes, we are talking about that versatile vegetable, the lettuce.
Each lettuce is referred to as a head. Most round varieties look like small heads. I’m sure there’s a story there and I just hope it’s not gross. Lettuce is grown in different areas of the country year round. I have yet to see a grocery store that didn’t have at least one type of lettuce available every time I go in.
The most commonly used form of lettuce is iceberg lettuce. It is light green to white in color. The basis of the salad is iceberg lettuce. Restaurants use it as a garnish for salads. Iceberg lettuce heads are tightly compacted. Romaine is tall almost like a stalk of celery. It is used in Caesar salads and has medium green leaves.
Bibb and loose leaf lettuce are not so tightly packed as iceberg lettuce. They resemble flowers just opening up. Bibb lettuce is sweet and used in mixed green salads. Loose green, mesclun, and frisee have a taste that is more on the bitter side. All can be used in salads.
Always wash lettuce several times before using. The leaves are closer at the base and can hide dirt, bugs, and bacteria. No one wants to get sick from their vegetables. Lettuce can be shredded into strips for pita sandwiches, tacos, and burritos. For those who want to cut carbs, large leaves of lettuce wrap sandwich meat and other meats instead of bread.
Lettuce stays fresh in a crisper compartment of the freezer. To keep the leaves from withering and turning color, sprinkle with water like they do in the store. Lettuce was once thought of as a weed and first seen in this country when Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492.
Lettuce that is starting to wilt can be fed to animals like rabbits, Iguanas, and turtles. Certain soups call for lettuce as an ingredient. The soup can be frozen and eaten later. Lettuce doesn’t have a strong taste which is why it complements many foods.
Most do not save lettuce. They either eat it or throw it away. If you can find some helpful uses for lettuce in your recipes, consider freezing a portion of it for later.
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