The News-Gazette.com: Garden Fresh: Lettuce can make more than salads

Garden Fresh: Lettuce can make more than salads

By Rebecca Mabry

Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:03 AM CDT

Since we have an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits growing in local gardens and available at area farmers' markets, we'll be providing recipes to help you put the produce on the dinner table. This Garden Fresh column will appear each Wednesday from now until the snow flies.

Previous weeks have featured peas, spinach and rhubarb. Now we're looking at lettuce. A friend said she's been overrun by all the lettuce from her garden and wondered why she planted so much. You can only eat so many salads, she said. It's a dilemma, but here we offer one recipe that cooks lettuce up with mushrooms, one for sandwich wraps, and we offer a few unique dressings to try. Let us know if you find any other great uses for lettuce from your gardens.

ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS

www.allrecipes.com

16 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves

1 pound lean ground beef

Overrun by lettuce in your garden? Recipes for wraps, salad and dressing can spice up the garden staple.

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)

1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained

and finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.

Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito.

BIBB LETTUCE, PARSLEY AND MINT SALAD

Gourmet/July 2008

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium head Bibb lettuce, leaves torn if large (6 cups)

1 1/3 cups packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

2/3 cup packed mint leaves

1/2 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Whisk together lemon juice, oils, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss lettuce, herbs, and cucumber with just enough dressing to coat.

LETTUCE WITH HOT BACON DRESSING

www.allrecipes.com

1 egg

6 slices bacon

1/2 cup sliced onion

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup water

4 teaspoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 cups leaf lettuce – rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces

8 radishes, thinly sliced

Place egg in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let egg stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Reserve excess grease.

Add onions to skillet with reserved grease, and cook until tender. Add bacon, vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Stir, and bring to boil.

Place lettuce in a large bowl. Pour hot dressing over, and toss well. Garnish with egg and radishes.

LETTUCE WITH MUSHROOMS

www.lettucerecipes.com

3 cups of sliced mushrooms

1 small leek, thinly sliced

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard

Pinch of pepper

1 firm head of lettuce, about 1 pound, coarsely shredded.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the mushrooms, leek and garlic in the vegetable oil, until the mushrooms are tender. Stir in the white wine vineger, salt, mustard and pepper. Add the shredded lettuce.

Cover and simmer just until lettuce is wilted (about 5 minutes). Toss, then serve immediately.

BUTTER LETTUCE WITH WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

www.lettucerecipes.com

1 head of butter-leaf lettuce

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of walnut pieces

1 tablespoon of parsley flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

Rinse and tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces. Put into gallon double zip-lock in cooler until ready to serve.

In a small pot, combine the mustard and vinegar until mixed well. Slowly add the olive oil, and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add the walnut pieces and parsley, and beat again. Cover and put into cooler until ready to serve. Beat well just before pouring over the lettuce.

LETTUCE WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING

www.allrecipes.com

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

6 cups torn lettuce leaves

In a small bowl, whisk the first four ingredients. Toss with lettuce or serve on the side. Refrigerate any leftover dressing.