These days most people are aware of the importance of a well-balanced diet but did you know that British lettuce are an ideal ingredient in many delicious, healthy recipes? Not only can its crisp leaves be used in a vast range of salads and sandwiches, Lettuce is also versatile enough to provide extra texture, flavour, colour and nutrients to many cooked dishes.
A 100g portion contains calcium (23mg), magnesium (8mg), phosphorous (27mg), potassium (240mg), sodium (9mg), vitamin C (15mg) and just 12 calories.

So get cooking now!

 

Submitted by WILLIAM PEGRAM mailto:bspegram@msn.com
Lettuce and thin gravy
Large bowl of leaf lettuce (other types of lettuce can be used, but this will be the best)
Young green onions (chopped)
Drippings from several slices of bacon approx. 2 cups milk Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Fry the bacon, saving the drippings as if you were to make cream gravy.
Pour the milk into the pan and scald it with the drippings.
Add salt and pepper.
Pour this mixture over the large container of lettuce and onions making them wilt.
Eat immediately.
My mother used to make this for us and we loved it. It is a little messy to eat. Don't try it for company.
It's called thin gravy because it's just like cream gravy without the flour.

Lettuce and Tarragon soup Serves 4

Ingredients:

Half a British Iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
50g butter or margarine
1 clove garlic, crushed
25g plain flour
600ml chicken stock
150ml skimmed milk
1 tblsp chopped fresh tarragon
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml thick natural yoghurt
few tarragon leaves to  garnish

Fry the onion gently in the butter or margarine for 3-4 minutes, add the garlic and flour and stir over the heat for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the stock and milk and bring to the boil. Add most of the lettuce and the tarragon, and season to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Blend the soup in a liquidiser until smooth. Return to a clean pan and heat; add the yoghurt and remaining lettuce and continue to heat through, stirring. Garnish with tarragon leaves and serve piping hot.

Lettuce and Basil Roulade  Serves 6

Ingredients:

40g butter or margarine
40g plain flour
450ml milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 eggs, separated
2 tblsp chopped fresh basil
75g finely shredded British Iceberg lettuce

For the filing:
4 tblsp mayonnaise
115g Red Leicester cheese, coarsely grated
1 tblsp mango chutney

Grease a large Swiss roll tin, approx 30cm X 20cm and line it with baking parchment or greased greaseproof paper. Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan and stir in the flour; cook for 30 seconds. Gradually add the milk and bring to the boil, stirring, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste. Beat in the egg yolks, half the chopped basil and the shredded lettuce. Whisk the egg whites until stiff  but not dry; fold lightly but thoroughly into the sauce mixture. Spoon the prepared mixture into the lined tin and spread out evenly. Bake at 190^o C/ Gas mark 5 for about 15 minutes until pale golden in colour, just set but still 'spongy' to the touch.

For the filing, mix the mayonnaise with the remaining chopped basil and the grated cheese; add the chutney.

To serve hot: quickly turn the freshly baked roulade onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and remove the lining paper. Spread with the prepared filing and roll up immediately, as for a Swiss roll.

To serve cold: turn the cooked roulade onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and cover with a damp tea towel. Once cool, remove the tea towel and backing lining paper, spread with the filing and roll up.

Cut into slices, garnish with a few basil leaves and serve.

Noodles with Lettuce Sauce  Serves 4

Ingredients:

115g fine green noodles (fettucine)
115g wide yellow noodles (tagliatelle)
salt and freshly ground pepper
150ml thick natural yoghurt
150ml mayonnaise
1 tblsp chopped fresh dill
115g peeled prawns
115g shelled and skinned young broad beans (or thawed, frozen ones)
75g finely shredded British Iceberg lettuce
Grated parmesan cheese

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes if using fresh pasta (8-10 minutes if using dried pasta). Meanwhile put the yoghurt, mayonnaise, dill, prawns and broad beans into the top of a double saucepan and heat through gently (alternative, use a basin standing over a pan of gently simmering water).

Drain the cooked pasta thoroughly and toss together will the shredded lettuce. Spoon into a warm bowl, add the sauce and toss together. Season to taste. Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese.

Iceberg and Smoked Haddock Quiche  Serves 6

Ingredients:

225g wholemeal shortcrust pastry
350g lightly poached smoked haddock, flaked
115g finely shredded British Iceberg lettuce
50g chopped British Iceberg lettuce
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and chopped
3 eggs
240g thick Greek yoghurt
1 clove garlic, peeled
salt and freshly ground pepper

Roll out the pastry and use to line a loose-bottomed fluted flan case, 21cm in diameter. Press up the edges well. Mix flaked haddock with the finely shredded lettuce, spring onions, dill and chopped hard-boiled eggs; arrange in the pastry case. Put the chopped lettuce, eggs, yoghurt, garlic, salt and pepper into a liquidiser or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pastry case and bake in a preheated oven, 190^o C/ Gas mark 5 for about 35 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Special Occasions

Whether you want to treat yourself and your family to a tasty meal or give your guests a special treat, the following recipes will ensure you eat healthily as well as elegantly on special occasions:

Lettuce Soufflé  Serves 4

Ingredients:

225g British Iceberg lettuce, chopped
50g butter or margarine
20g plain flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150ml semi-skimmed milk
1 tsp Worcester sauce
115g grated Cheddar cheese
4 eggs, separated
¾ tsp cream of tartar
50g fresh grated parmesan

Heavily butter a soufflé mould and coat the butter with parmesan. Cook the chopped lettuce in very little water until just tender and drain well. Add 15g of butter or margarine, cook and stir until any remaining water has disappeared. In a separate pan, melt the rest of the butter, blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook over a low heat for 3-5 minutes. Blend in the milk and Worcester sauce. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from the heat and add the Cheddar cheese, stir until melted. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Add cooked lettuce. Beat the egg whites until foamy, add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt, then whip until stiff. Stir a quarter into the lettuce mixture, then fold in the remainder. Pour into the soufflé mould and smooth the top; sprinkle with parmesan. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven, 190^o C/ Gas mark 5 for 30-40 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Serve immediately.

Red Mullet in Lettuce Leaves Serves 6

Ingredients:

6 medium-sized red mullet, scaled, gutted and cleaned
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g Chevre cheese, crumbled
grated rind of half a lemon
1 tsp Pesto sauce
2 tblsp finely chopped British Iceberg lettuce
12 British Iceberg lettuce leaves
115g coarsely chopped British Iceberg lettuce
200ml dry white wine
Half a ripe avocado, peeled and roughly chopped
fresh basil to garnish

Season the mullet, inside and out. Mix the Chevre cheese with the lemon rind, Pesto, finely chopped lettuce and salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the cavity of each red mullet with the mixture. Blanch the Iceberg lettuce leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, then refresh immediately in cold water. Drain thoroughly. Wrap each stuffed red mullet in two lettuce leaves and lay side by side in an ovenproof dish. Spoon the white wine over the fish and cover with foil. Cook in a preheated oven, 180^o C/ Gas mark 4 for 30-35 minutes, until the mullet are just tender.
Lift into a serving dish and keep warm. Put the cooking juices into a liquidiser or food processor with the coarsely chopped lettuce and avocado; blend until smooth. Serve the mullet with the sauce and garnish with a few basil leaves.

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