Wilted Lettuce

I love fresh lettuce and it is so easy to grow in cool weather that I tend to plant a few too many. That was the case in January when I started about 10 lettuce seeds in a tray, then 10 days later I did another 10, and finally in mid-February I put what I thought would be the last set of 12 lettuce in a seed tray. My theory is that lettuce matures quickly and succession planting would give me lettuce for about 6 weeks. After the seeds started indoors matured, the direct seeded, more heat resistant varieties grew. What I forgot to add into that equation was that we were soon overwhelmed with lettuce and there are only so many salads and side salads that 2 people can eat in a week. Rather than let the extra lettuce go to waste, I remember seeing a cooking show that used wilted lettuce.

Wilted lettuce is similar to kale in as much as you take a large handful of leaves, put them into a large pan and gently heat with a little oil, butter or unsalted stock. After a few minutes the whole pan reduces to a puddle of wilted leaves. For kale, with a strong flavor, I usually add some garlic and a little salt to the pan. However, extra flavoring overwhelms lettuce’s delicate flavor. A knob of butter mixed in at the end is about as much as you need.

Wilted lettuce, because does not have a strong flavor, works best with light flavored fish such as salmon or trout. Add a side of mixed, sautéed onions, tomatoes and peppers for a colorful addition to the plate.

Recipe For Wilted Lettuce – for 2

2 large handfuls of lettuce leaves – rinsed

¼ cup unsalted stock or water

1 tsp butter

To make:

1: Heat the oil or water in a large saucepan;

2: Rip the lettuce into smaller pieces (about 2” long);

3: Add all the lettuce and cover with a lid;

4: After a few minutes, stir and check to see if the lower leaves have wilted;

5: When the lower leaves are wilted stir gently so that the leaves at the top of the pan move to the bottom;

6: When the whole mass of leaves have wilted, add a knob of butter (optional);

7: Serve at the side of the fish or place the lettuce under the fish on the plate.