Go beyond salad and sandwiches, and embrace the versatility of Butter lettuce.
Lettuce has a long history in the kitchen, with the seeds of European lettuces being brough to the Americas as early as 1494. Lettuce is classified mainly according to its shape with Butterhead lettuces having soft, pliable rounded leaves which gently overlap to form a head. Butter lettuce is rich in nutrients and can easily be added to salads, sandwiches and wraps. While cooked lettuce is not generally favored here in western cultures, elsewhere cream of lettuce soup is popular. Recently, we came across this delicious Butter lettuce soup recipe tucked inside our Farm Fresh to You delivery.
Creamy Lettuce Soup
- 1 head Butter lettuce, leaves separated
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup heavy cream + additional to garnish
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Heat olive oil on low/medium heat in pot
When hot, add the garlic until slightly brown
Add your lettuce, parsley and oregano and still until lettuce is wilted
Add your chicken broth and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes
Transfer in batches to blender to puree soup. Do this in batches and be careful as the liquid will be very hot.
Transfer back to pot. Add heavy cream, salt and pepper and stir until all heated (about 5 minutes)
Serve, garnish with additional heavy cream on top if desired.
Serves 2
Source: brooklynfarmgirl.com
Filled with Nutrients
Did you know that a 1-cup serving of cut-up butter lettuce contains only 21 calories per serving?
- fat free
- cholesterol free
- sodium free
- excellent source of vitamin A
- good source of vitamin C and folate
If you are looking for more ways to use your in-season Butter lettuce, here are a few more recipes:
Butter Lettuce Salad with Gorgonzola and Pear Dressing
Stir Fry Five-Spice Pork with Lettuce Cups
Pita Stuffed Sandwiches with Chopped Salad and Cheese
