Title: About Lettuce
Categories: Vegetable Info
Yield: 1 Servings

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from SUNSET FRESH PRODUCE. Menlo Park, CA: Lane Publishing Co. 1987

Lettuces are doubtless the best-known salad greens. The four main market types - the lettuces most people think of when they hear salad ~ are butterhead, iceberg, looseleaf, and romaine. Other greens often included in salads are the chicories (including Belgian endive and escarole), watercress, tangy arugula, and radicchio.

Nutrition. All salad greens are low in calories and high in fiber; most are good sources of vitamin A. One cup of raw chicory, escarole, radicchio, or most types of lettuce has about 10 calores; watercress has only 7. A whole head of iceberg lettuce has 70 calores, a head of Belgian endive about 8.

Ten greens. The most common salad greens are discussed below. [...sorrel and spinach are frequently used as salad greens.]

Arugula (rocket, roquette). The bright green, serrated leaves of arugula have a spicy, mustardy tang - sharper than watercress, but not as hot as horseradish. The yellow flowers, too, are edible.

Belgian endive (French endive, Witloof chicory). Because they're protected from light as they grow, Belgian endive's small, smooth, slender heads are almost white in color. The flavor is strong and pleasantly bitter. Most Belgian endive really does come from Belgium.

Butterhead lettuce (Bibb, Boston, buttercrunch, limestone). These lettuces are named for their delicate, almost buttery flavor. The loose-leafed heads are small, the leaves soft and pliable.

Chicory (curly endive). Chicory's touseled-looking heads are dark green outside, paler within. The outer leaves have a bitter flavor reminiscent of dandelion greens; the narrow, ragged inner leaves taste sweeter, though they¹re still slightly bitter.

Escarole. This sturdy, broad-leafed variety of endive has a strong, slightly bitter flavor, less pronounced in the creamy white center leaves.

Iceberg lettuce (crisphead). The best-selling lettuce, available all year, iceberg is known for its crisp texture and firm, light green head. It's very mild in flavor.

Looseleaf lettuce. These lettuces take their name from the way they grow: the leaves branch from the stems rather than forming heads. All loose-leaf lettuces are tender and delicately flavored, but they come in assorted colors (red, bronze, dark green, chartreuse) and textures (smooth, puckered, ruffly, frilled).

Radicchio (red chicory, Italian red lettuce). Radicchio comes in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors - many shades of red, as well as green and variegated red and green. The variety most often seen in U.S. markets is a reddish purple. Radicchio¹s flavor is similar to that of escarole and Belgian endive.

Romaine lettuce (Cos). Hailing from the Greek island of Cos, romaine has upright clusters of big, crunchy leaves that are exceptionally crisp.

Watercress. Its spicy, tingling flavor makes watercress a popular addition to salads and sandwiches; it's frequently used as a garnish, too. The dark green, round-leafed sprigs grow alongside or even partially submerged in water.

Season. Generally speaking, salad greens are available all year, though there are peak times for some of them: September through May for Belgian endive, August through December for chicory and escarole.

Selection. Leafy greens and watercress should be crisp and fresh looking, with deeply colored leaves free of brown spots, yellowed leaves, and decay. The white core at the base of radicchio should be firm, unblemished, and free of holes. Belgian endive should be crisp looking, with creamy white leaves tinged with light yellow at the tips; choose heads that are 4 to 6 inches long. Select iceberg lettuce with fresh outer leaves; heads should give a little under pressure.

Storage. Rinse with cold water, shake off excess, and dry well. Wrap in paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic bag - iceberg and romaine for up to 5 days, other salad greens for up to 2 days.

Preparation. Tear salad greens into bite-size pieces. If desired, cut out core and shred iceberg. Remove tough stems from watercress; use leaves and tender part of stems.

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