CULINARY INFO
Lettuces
"DISCLAIMER"
The information contained here is supplied for your interest only and further research may be required.
I have gathered it from many sources over many years. While I attempt to insure they are crossed referenced for accuracy,
I take no responsibility for mistakes - additions or corrections are welcomed.
Food
There was a time when we had the choice of maybe 3-4 lettuces when we went shopping. But there are now more and more varieties becoming available on the market. Some are grown for thier flavour, some for thier looks and flavour and some are purely ornemental; meaning they may look great, but thier flavour leaves a lot to be desired.
Most varieties of lettuce exude small amounts of a white, milky liquid when their leaves are broken. This "milk" can give the lettuce its slightly bitter flavour it also gives it, its scientific name: Lactuca sativa derived from the Latin word for milk and from which the word 'lettuce' is derived.
Below are photos of some of these (it will be updated as I access more photos) with a brief description of thier properties.
Please noteI am listing only the main lettuces and or groups; i.e. Cos or Romaine and within each there is no doubt many sub varieties
|
Arugula Also known as rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola, and is popular in Italian cuisine.In Roman times Arugula was grown for both it's leaves and the seed. The seed was used for flavoring oils. On another interesting note, Rocket or Arugula seed has been used as an ingredient in aphrodisiac concoctions dating back to the first century, AD. (Cambridge World History of Food). Has a mild peppery taste |
|
Bowl lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Buttercrunch lettuce Also known as Butterhead, Bibb, Boston or limehead. This used to be the most common variety readily available in the U.K. Sweet, crisp and with a tender heart; has a very good flavour |
|
Chicory Also known as Belgian endive or Witloof Harsh and bitter tasting; as a salad it should be used sparingly. Best used as a vegetable and braised slowly in a good chicken stock |
|
Corn lettuce Known for its diuretic properties and its tranquilizing action against nervousness and insomnia. :-) |
|
Cos lettuce Also known as Romaine, this is one of the oldest lettuce types known. With its lng leaves it is instantly recognisable as the lettuce used in a classical "Caesar Salad". It has a more distinctive taste than most other lettuces with a very faint bitter quality |
|
Mustard cress A mixture of the sprouts of white mustard seeds and cress. The cress is a seedling with small bright green leaves on tender white stalks while the mustard seed sprouts are short with tapered roots. Has a hot and peppery flavour |
|
Dandelion leaves Its faint resemblance to the teeth of a lion is what (apparantly) gave the plant its most familiar name: a corruption of the French 'dent de lion', an equivalent of this name being found not only in its former specific Latin name Dens leonis and in the Greek name for the genus to which Linnaeus assigned it, Leontodon, but also in nearly all the languages of Europe. Slighty bitter, only the youngest and smallest of leaves should be used |
|
Endive Not to be confused with the white 'Belgian Endive" or Chicory. Information to be posted |
|
Escarole lettuce A member of the endive family (see above) Information to be posted |
|
Edible flowers Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Iceberg lettuce Also known as ice lettuce; very popular in the USA where it is of most note for cutting into 'chiffonade', bunding with mayonnaise and placing in burgers and the infamous 'BIG MAC' Fairly neutral in flavour |
|
Kale - ornemental Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Limestone lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Lollo Blondo Apparantly named after the Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida; because of her wearing frilly knickers Grown more for its looks than its substance and taste. There is also a red verion (see Lollo Rosso) |
|
Lollo rosso See Lollo Blondo above :-) |
|
Mache Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Mesculan mix Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Mignonette lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Miners leaf Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Mizuna Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Monet Lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Oak lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Oakleaf Has particularly thin and soft leaves; noted for it's resistance to bitterness. The plant forms an attractive, light green mound of unusual shaped leaves. Very good eating quality. |
|
Radiccio Also known as Italian chicory, is a popular 'lettuce' that is actually a type of chicory leaf. It comes in a variety of types, some of which are named as follows: Augusto, Chioggia, Firebird, Giulio, Milan, Palla Rossa, and Treviso Because it is a type of chicory, it has a bitter and somewhat spicy taste. Although it can be eaten by itself, its uniquely sharp taste makes it better when served combined with other lettuce types or combined with other ingredients: apples, pears etc |
|
Red bowl Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Red cos Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Red mustard Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Rocket See Arugula :-) |
|
Rosy lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Ruby lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Red sails lettuce Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Red sangria lettuce Thick rose blushed leaves over a blanched pale yellow heart make for an attractive lettuce. Very good eating quality |
|
Tai soi Information to be posted Information to be posted |
|
Watercress Information to be posted Information to be posted |
