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Lettuce Recipes of the Week - June 16, 2010 | |
Tasty Lettuce SlawIngredients 8 leaves of Boston or butter lettuce 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 2 stalks celery 1 small cucumber Preparation In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and kosher salt. Thinly slice 2 stalks of celery, cucumber, and 8 leaves of Boston or butter lettuce. Add to the bowl containing the vinaigrette and toss. Nutritional Information Calories: 45 (1% from fat) Fat: 4g (sat 0g) Protein: 1mg Carbohydrate: 3g Fiber: 1g Cholesterol: 2mg Iron: 1mg Sodium: 298mg Calcium: 30mg |
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Hug’s BBQ lettuceServes 4 Ingredients 4 little gem lettuces, halved 12 spring onions, trimmed 5 tbsp olive oil Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 3Tb hard goat’s cheese Method: How to make Hugh's BBQ lettuce 1. Brush the cut side of the lettuces with a little olive oil and place on the hot barbecue. After a minute, place the spring onions, also brushed with olive oil, onto the barbecue with the lettuce. When both are pleasantly charred and slightly softened, divide them between four plates. 2. Drizzle over a little more olive oil, some salt and pepper and use a vegetable peeler to shave over the goat’s cheese. Serve immediately. |
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Veggie of the Week - Lettuce | |
Selecting LettuceLettuce is a vegetable that is best enjoyed when it's fresh and crisp. Avoid salad greens that are wilted or have brown-edged or slimy leaves. Once they reach this point, there's no bringing them back to life. They should have vivid color, and leaves should be firm. Store greens in your refrigerator's crisper drawer, roots intact, in perforated plastic bags. Romaine is a produce-department staple, and it's definitely better for you than iceberg. Less-recognizable greens come in a wider variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and some manufacturers pre-pack a variety of these delicious treasures in handy salad packs. Lettuce leaves should be firm and vivid in color. Here are tips for selecting and storing specific varieties of lettuce: Arugula: Also known as rocket or roquette, these small, flat leaves have a hot, peppery flavor. The older and larger the leaves, the more mustard-like the flavor. You're more likely to find arugula in ethnic or farmers' markets than in supermarkets. It's so delicate, it keeps for only a day or two. Chicory: This curly-leaved green is sometimes mistakenly called curly endive. The dark-green leaves have a bitter taste but work well in salads with well-seasoned dressings. Endive: Belgian endive and white chicory are names for this pale salad green. The small, cigar-shaped head has tightly packed leaves and a slightly bitter flavor. Endive stays fresh for three to four days. Escarole: A close cousin to chicory, escarole is actually a type of endive. It has broad, slightly curved green leaves, with a milder flavor than Belgian endive. Radicchio: Though it looks like a miniature head of red cabbage, this salad green is actually a member of the chicory family, with a less bitter flavor. Radicchio keeps up to a week. Romaine: Also known as cos, Romaine lettuce has long leaves that are crisp, with an oh-so-slight bitter taste. Romaine is hearty, storing well for up to ten days. Watercress: This delicate green is sold in "bouquets," or trimmed and sealed in vacuum packs. Choose dark-green, glossy leaves and store in plastic bags; use in a day or two. Unopened vacuum packs last up to three days. Tips for Preparing and Serving Lettuce Dirt and grit often settle between the leaves of salad greens. Separate the leaves, then wash well before using. For small bunches, swish leaves in a bowl of water, then rinse. In general, the stronger and more bitter the salad green, the stronger-flavored the dressing should be. Try warm mustard or garlic-based dressings with strong-flavored salad greens. Health Benefits of Lettuce Although all varieties of lettuce are very low in calories, they do not all rank the same in nutritional value. Though Romaine provides decent nutrition, iceberg lettuce does not, so to make the ultimate nutritious salad, use plenty of leafy greens. Wonderfully flavored greens like radicchio, arugula, endive, chicory, and escarole make a salad stand out in taste and nutrition. Some greens back up their fat-fighting bulk with a decent amount of fiber. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating about 2 cups of vegetables each day. It takes two cups of raw greens to equal one cup of veggies, according to the Guidelines. Health Benefits of Lettuce. The darker the color of the salad green, the more nutritious it is. Beta-carotene is the chief disease-fighting nutrient found in the darker-colored greens. As an antioxidant, it battles certain cancers, heart disease, and cataracts. A dark-green color also indicates the presence of folic acid, which helps prevent neural-tube birth defects in the beginning stages of pregnancy. Researchers are uncovering other important contributions folic acid has to offer to your well-being, like its role in the prevention of heart disease and inflammation. Most salad greens are also notable sources of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Chicory is a good source of vitamin C, another antioxidant nutrient linked to prevention of heart disease, cancer, and cataracts. Some salad greens, including arugula and watercress, are members of the cruciferous family, adding more ammunition to the fight against cancer. |
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How To Pick GreensSome of the most nutrient-dense foods available on the planet are dark leafy greens—the superheroes of the vegetable worldArugula, beet greens, bok choy, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, lamb’s quarters, mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chard, and watercress are only a partial list of the kinds of these superheroes. I also like to include green leafy herbs like basil, Italian parsley, cilantro, and mint, which provide many of the same benefits Look for bright-colored, perky-looking greens. Pass by any bunch with brown spots, yellowing edges, or limp-looking leaves, and choose the more vitalized ones. Smaller leaves indicate a more immature plant, which means the greens may need little or no cooking. Their flavors will be milder and more delicate. Larger , thicker-leaved greens require a little more care but will have more robust flavors. Choose organic greens for the best possible flavors and to keep your ecological conscience clear. Storing Greens Vegetables are alive! They are respiring, which means that they need moisture and air to survive. If you store wet greens in a sealed plastic bag, they will rot quickly. If you toss a bunch of greens onto the bottom shelf of the fridge without a bag, they will dry out and wilt due to moisture loss. The best way to store greens is to keep them slightly wet in an open or perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. Throw a damp paper towel in with it. There are two schools of thought some say washed some not. I have done both. Fresh herbs do well if you trim off about 1/2-inch from the root ends, place them in a jar of water with a plastic bag over the top, and store them in the refrigerator. Stored properly, greens should keep about 3 days. How to Prepare Fresh herbs and tender leaves like arugula, spinach, and watercress can be chopped raw and added to soups, salads, and grains, or lightly steamed. More mature greens like bok choy, kale, and dandelion greens, and collards, taste bitter if you serve them raw, and often the texture is too tough for easy chewing. Steaming these greens actually intensifies the bitterness. They need to be cooked in liquid where the bitter flavor can be dispersed. First you need to prepare the greens. Remove large stems or break off small ones. Fill a sink with cold water and submerge the leaves. With herbs, leave the stems and hold on to them as you give the leaves a dunk. If there is sediment in the water, drain the sink and repeat. If you plan to put the greens in a salad, spin them dry. Leaves destined for cooking can have excess water shaken off and be placed on a towel or chopping board. The issue at hand is how to cook the greens so they lose as little nutritional value as possible while shedding their bitter flavors. There are three cooking techniques that I like to use when cooking the more mature, bitter greens: quick boiling, simmering, and sautéing. Cooking the Greens To quick-boil greens, bring two quarts of water to a boil. Do not chop the leaves, but submerge them whole into the boiling water. Use a wooden spoon to move them from top to bottom. To tell when they are done, use your senses. The leaves should begin to lose their perkiness and wilt slightly, but the bright green color will still be present. At this point, bring a leaf up with your spoon, tear off a piece, and chew it. If the flavor is bitter, let them cook more. The greens are just right when chewing a piece releases sweet juices in your mouth. If the color is gone or there is no flavor left when you chew it, they’ve cooked too long. The amount of time depends on the maturity of the green and the amount of leaves. For something like tender mustard greens, it should be a thirty- to sixty-second dip; mature collard greens can take up to five minutes. Once you test the green and get a sweet flavor, pour the contents of the pot into a colander. Gently run cool water over the greens to halt cooking. Once they are cool enough to touch, gather them into a ball and gently squeeze out the excess water. Chop them on the cutting board and they are ready to dress and serve. Simmering greens, bring about one inch of liquid (water, broth, wine) to simmer in a large skillet. Chop the washed greens into strips. Place the strips in the simmering liquid and keep them moving with a wooden spoon. You are looking for the same results as described above: a bright green color and a sweet flavor; the greens have been chopped, so the cooking time will be shorter. When sautéing greens, use just-washed greens. The water helps with wilting and releasing bitterness. Heat 1-2 Tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Add a minced clove of garlic. The garlic will tell you if you have the heat right. (Too hot and the garlic will burn, too cool and the garlic will just sit there.) If there is too much water on the greens or the oil is too hot, the oil will sputter. Chop the greens into bite-sized pieces. Stacking the washed leaves is an easy way to make uniform cuts. Place cut leaves in the skillet and keep them moving. Stay with the process and test every minute or so for doneness. When the leaves are still full of color and taste sweet, not bitter, the greens are ready! What’s Next? Once you have the cooked greens in front of you, there are endless possibilities. Keep things simple and give them a dash of vinegar and a sprinkle of tamari, toss, and eat. Cooked greens can be added to soups, salads and grain dishes to add color, flavor and nutrients. You can prepare a lovely peanut sauce to drizzle over greens, or toss them with toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for an Asian flavor. A small grating of Parmesan or Asiago cheese is good too. A squeeze of lemon is fine, but a little orange juice with garlic and a touch of chipotle sauce? Serve it over slices of polenta and its a rare treat for company. Mixed Green sauté ½ medium (3/4lb) cabbage 2 cups blanched collards 2 cups blanched broccoli de rabe 3 Tb olive oil, 4 Tb butter 2 whole garlic cloves peeled salt and freshly ground pepper Divide the cabbage in 2 and blanch in boiling water 8-10 min or until softened. Cool under cold-water squeeze out water, cut in ½ inch shreds do the same with the other greens. In a sauté pan heat 1 Tb butter and oil add garlic cabbage and greens, sauté on high heat until moisture is evaporated add remaining butter season with salt and pepper; gently cook 5-10 min stirring until heated through. Remove garlic cloves before serving. |
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