WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS DISH
* It is delicious! So delicious. Trust me and try it. Dull bland boring iceberg lettuce is transformed into a delightful buttery, nutty, slightly bitter vegetable. I can eat a whole one.
* You will make this again and again – I actually crave this when I’m feeling a bit under the weather. It is light, warming, nourishing simple and filling.
* It is really easy – four every day ingredients and some seasoning is all you need.
* It is frugal – unloved iceberg lettuce is very inexpensive – I often pick it up on the reduced shelf.
* It is low in calories, but high in vitamins – it is also surprisingly filling despite only having 66KCal per dish.
* It counts towards your five a day!
* It helps cut down on food waste – salad is frequently thrown away in the UK.
STORING LETTUCE
Lettuce, along with cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and a lot of green vegetables, is sensitive to ethylene. This gas is released by bananas, orchard fruits and onions, and can speed up the decay of your vegetables, so store your lettuce and other veg away from the fruit.
Lettuce can turn brown very quickly once picked and someone even came up with the idea of using special plastic knives to cut the leaves instead of metal ones. Unfortunately, any deterioration in the lettuce comes from exposure to oxygen in the air rather than in your knife, so there is really no need for a special lettuce knife to clutter up your kitchen!
Lettuce for salad is better torn rather than cut, but for this recipe, just cut the lettuce with a normal kitchen knife and cook right away.
BRAISED ICEBERG LETTUCE WITH PEAS
Lettuce with peas is a classic combination, giving a great mix of textures and flavours.
I have chosen Iceberg lettuce for my braised lettuce. Crisp and hardy, these robust lettuces were developed to keep well when transported long distances across the USA from California, where most of America’s lettuce is still grown. The name is said to come from the ice on which they were kept in transit.
Iceberg lettuce is ideal for recipes like this. It will retain some shape and structure when cooked gently where others types of lettuce might turn to mush. The flavour is slightly bitter and nutty, which works well with the sweet green peas.
Ingredients
* 1 Iceberg lettuce
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 150 ml vegetable stock
* ½ cup frozen peas
* salt & pepper (to taste)
* soy sauce (a dash to taste – optional)
Step one – Gather the ingredients. Measure out the frozen peas, vegetable stock and soy sauce.
Step two – Cut the lettuce into quarters. Cut through the stem so that each quarter keeps its shape.
Step three – Put the oil in a shallow casserole dish or sauté pan, on a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the lettuce and fry, turning it so that it browns on all sides.
Step four – Add the peas and the stock to a depth of 1.5cm / 1/2″, cover the dish with a lid, and turn to a low simmer. Let the dish simmer for about 15 minutes.
Step five – Season with salt and pepper, and a dash of soy sauce if wanted. Serve immediately.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR COOKED LETTUCE
* Vary the type of lettuce – I have always used iceberg for this as I used to frequently get them in my veg box and was at a loss on how to use them up. Try any crisp lettuce, such as Cos, Romaine or Little Gem.
* I usually use regular vegetable stock. You can also use soy sauce, or noodle broth.
* Make this more luxurious by adding a knob of butter, swirl of cream or a glug of sherry or white wine – or even all three.
* Vary the vegetables – green beans, mangetout, broad, or baby runner beans would all work well.
* Make it more substantial with the addition of some freshly cooked baby potatoes.
* Top with herbs – chopped chives, parsley, coriander / cilantro, or tarragon with a chicken dish.
How to keep your iceberg lettuce crispy
Shop for a nice heavy feeling tightly packed head of lettuce at your local super market. Unwrap the lettuce and discard the cellophane.
After opening the lettuce, find the core on the bottom and slam it upon a counter top and the core will pop right out. Peel off the outer leaves and discard any outer yellowing leaves. Place the lettuce into a large bowl of cold water and rinse, then drain. Do this a couple of times. Fill the bowl with cold water and add a cup of vinegar, begin to swish the lettuce in the vinegar and water solution.
The vinegar will remove some of the microbials (a bacterium that causes disease) and will dry any slimy mucus and crisp the lettuce. Drain and rinse again with plain cold water. Finally, drain the lettuce on a clean dry paper towels. Pat dry then refrigerate in a bowl with a lid. In about one hour, you will have crunchy, crisp, fabulous lettuce. Ready to eat and enjoy.
STORE IN REFRIGERATOR AND IT LASTS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DAYS IF KEPT SEALED AND COLD.
BUY SLAY NETWORK NFTs on BITCLOUT
So simple to put together yet so yummy
Top with butter, peas and red wine
