Green Summer Crisp
Green Forest Romaine
Nancy Butterhead
Nevada
Red Cherokee
Two Star
Vollmecke has an abundance of lettuce right now, but it won’t be around for much longer, so make sure to get the most of it. Although lettuce is one of those vegetables that is heavily associated with one dish (salad), don’t let that limit you. Lettuce has a lot of untapped potential. At most grocery stores, you will find “green,” “red,” and perhaps some romaine or iceberg. Here at Vollmecke Orchards, we grow many kinds that are too delicate to withstand shipping and storage, so you will only find them here. Our favorite? Nancy Butterhead!
So what to do with this abundance? Here are a few ideas:
- Make WRAPS! Instead of a tortilla, use a giant lettuce leaf! Much healthier, and adds some crunch. Try these lettuce wraps, based on the delicious ones served at P.F. Changs.
- Juice it! Combine it with some strong fruits in your next juice or smoothie. Because lettuce has a subtle flavor, it won’t make your juice taste like liquid lettuce. This is a great way to stay hydrated!
- Shred it and add to dips! Lettuce is especially good with Mexican themed dips, like seven layer or enchilada dip.
- Put it on a sandwich! This seems obvious, but I know I sometimes forget about adding lettuce to sandwiches. Great way to eat your vegetables without overwhelming the meal.
- Grill it! Yes, grill it!! Marinate in some Italian dressing and throw a whole head on the grill. Excellent BBQ/picnic side! Here is a Grilled Caesar Salad recipe. If it sounds like a lot of work, just substitute your favorite dressing for Casar dressing.
- Make Soup! I know it sounds odd, but a fresh spring lettuce soup is actually quite delicious.
- PRESERVE IT! You can actually freeze lettuce. We don’t recommend this for all of your lettuce, but don’t let it rot in the fridge just because you can’t eat it fast enough. If you feel like your lettuce is getting close to the end of it’s life, follow these instructions and save it for later (keep in mind the texture may be compromised).
To make sure your lettuce lasts as long as possible, you will want to store it correctly (click here to see how to store other veggies). We recommend washing lettuce right before you eat it in order to maximize shelf life. But if you do want to give it a quick rinse, dry it THOROUGHLY before storing in a loose plastic bag. OR you can put taller head lettuce in an upright pitcher with a little bit of water (like so: picture). Both options will help your lettuce stay tasty and fresh longer.
Do you have any interesting or unique recipe ideas? Lettuce know!
