Lettuce

Lettuce Recipes

 

Availability: July-October

Storage tips: Refrigerate in a loosely wrapped plastic bag. Or wrap a paper towel around each head and store in crisper drawer.  Monitor the moisture on it so it doesn't get wilty (too dry) or doesn't start to rot (too wet).  Or prepare as for a salad below and spin dry and store in fridge in a lidded bowl.  Stored in one of these ways, lettuce should store at least a week.

How to eat: Lettuce is the staple to a fresh salad. Wash leaves well, drain, chop and toss with a dressing and other raw veggies.  You can also sautee lettuce in a stir-fry with other greens.

How to preserve: I hate to say I don't know, but lettuce doesn't freeze well.  So eat it all up!  Salads every day!

Creamy Lettuce Soup

This member-suggested recipe is a great way to deal with leftover lettuce in your CSA farm shares or gardens that you don't know what to do with.  The recipe calls for romaine, though I would believe you could use any kind of lettuce, just adjust the cooking time down if it is a softer leaf type.

  • 1 large head romaine lettuce
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (or substitute a medium leek here)
  • 2 TBLS cooking oil, butter, etc.
  • zest of one lemon
  • ground nutmeg to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2+ cups chicken broth
  • cream or half and half to taste

Separate the midribs from the romaine leaves (skip this step if using another kind of lettuce).  Chop the midribs.  Chop the leaves.  Heat oil in sauce pan and saute onions, stirring, until translucent, adding in romaine midribs if using.  Add lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and stir breifly to combine.  Add broth and the rest of the lettuce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until lettuce is tender, 2-5 minutes.  Puree.  Add half and half or cream to taste.  Serve hot!

Creamy Salad Dressing

4 tbls olive oil
1 tbls cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
¼-½ cup soft cheese, like goat’s milk chevre (or greek yogurt, or sour cream, or a combination)

Mix all ingredients together. Serve over salad, or as dip, or refrigerate.

Dairy-Free Tahini Salad Dressing
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1/4 cup vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
  • 1 TBLS tahini*
  • 1/2-3/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • minced fresh herb, like dill weed, basil, oregano, chives, etc.

Mix everything together to emulsify. Yum!

*If your tahini is kinda hard (from being in the fridge or just is a little dry), mix it with a little bit of olive oil to soften into peanut butter consistency before adding it to the dressing (see pic). It will fully emulsify in your dressing that way and not be clumpy!

Gene's Famous Creamy Dressing

3/8 cup soft cheese (aka yogurt cheese, boursin cheese, kefir cheese, goat cheese)
1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tahini
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Wisk together all ingredients.  Store in refrigerator.  Makes 1 cup.

Homemade Mediterranean Salad Dressing

½ cup olive oil
2 TBLS lemon juice
2 TBLS red wine or cider vinegars
1 ½ tsp prepared mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 TBLS fresh basil, chopped
salt and/or sweetener to taste

Whisk together  Pour over salad and top with feta cheese and black olives.

Honey Mustard Dressing

Add the yogurt to make it creamy or leave it out.  It will be tasty either way!

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 TBLS Dijon mustard
  • 1-2 TBLS honey
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup yogurt (optional)

Mix all ingredients together until well combined. 

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing

This is a very delicious salad dressing.  Omit the lemon if you want it to be more of a dip consistency.

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard 
  • 1-4 TBSP honey
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder, or fresh minced garlic or garlic scape, to taste
  • juice of 1 lemon (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk until smooth.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Red, White, and Blue Salad

This is a perfect salad for a Fourth of July celebration!

Lettuce leaves, washed and torn into pieces
Red Radishes, sliced
White Salad turnips, sliced
Blueberries, fresh or frozen
Scallions, chopped

Toss vegetables and pour over whisked dressing ingredients:

½ cup yogurt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1-2 teaspoons maple syrup
Salt and pepper to taste

Sarah’s Sour Cream Salad

This is a family recipe from a long time CSA member.  It's delicious on a hot day!

  • 4 cups lettuce torn into bite size pieces
  • ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced
  • ½ bunch radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/2-3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2-3 TBLS vinegar of choice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mix sour cream, vinegar, salt, and pepper and let stand while preparing rest of ingredients. Toss prepared lettuce, scallions, and radishes. Add dressing and combine well.

Sauteed Romaine Lettuce

Lettuce head sizes vary depending on variety and seasonality, so I put in a range of ingredients to reflect this.  Try this also with bacon as the cooking fat...  Yum!

1-3 TBLS olive oil
1-2 cloves of garlic or garlic scapes, minced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and leaves chopped into 1" wide strips
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add remaining ingredients and cover until lettuce wilts, about 2-3 minutes.  Uncover and saute until liquid evaporates, another approx 5 minutes.  Serve hot!

Seasonal Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
  • 6 TBLS olive oil
  • 1 TBLS Dijon mustard
  • 1 TBLS poppy seeds
  • 1 TBLS honey
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup dill, finely chopped (optional)

Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Pour over salad composed of your choice of: chopped lettuce, minced bunching onions, sliced salad turnips, chopped peas, shredded carrots, and/or minced garlic scapes. 

Simple Salad Dressing

This easy salad dressing is made from ingredients that you probably have on hand already, can be made in only a couple of minutes, and is fresh and delicious!

¼ cup olive oil
1 TBSP vinegar (cider or balsamic)
1 TSP prepared mustard
1 TSP naturally fermented soy sauce (optional)

Wisk all ingredients together and drizzle over salad greens. Any minced fresh herb makes a nice optional addition. 

Tangy Tahini Salad Dressing
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 TBLS lemon juice
  • 1 TBLS garlic scape, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together and drizzle over any kind of fresh salad. Addicting!

Warm Bacon Mushroom Dressing

2-3 slices bacon
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
parmesan cheese, grated

Fry bacon. Remove from skillet. Saute mushrooms in the bacon fat until soft, 8-10 minutes. Pour mushrooms and bacon fat over the greens hot. Top with the bacon, crumbled, and some grated Parmesan cheese.