Lettuce is available throughout the year and is something we all enjoy eating in summer. Crisp, fresh and light, these leaves are a good source of Vitamin A and potassium. Lettuce is great in any salad and even better when eaten on its own.

Today there is a large variety of lettuce available for a great green salad. You have Butterhead lettuce, Crisphead lettuce, the more common leaf lettuce and of course, the Cos or Romaine lettuce used in Caesar salads.

You can use lettuce for more than just a salad. Surprised? Well experiment and see for yourself, just how versatile this ubiquitious green leaf can actually be. But just remember a few basic tips before you hit the kitchen in a rush.

Preparation tips:

When buying lettuce, always look for fresh-looking, unblemished lettuce that does not have wilted or discoloured leaves.

Clean and dry the leaves properly. Leaves that look damaged, wilted or yellow and pale should be removed.

Soak in cold water and then drain to retain the crispness. See that the leaves are cleaned thoroughly.

Dry in a lettuce spinner or drain in a colander and then placed in a bag with a couple of paper towels. Shake the bag gently. The paper towels will help to collect most of the excess moisture.

When removing the core from the head, take care to hold the lettuce in both hands, making sure that the core is down, about 6 inches above the work surface so that when it is hit down, the core separates from the lettuce and can easily be pulled out.

lettuce soup

Ingredients: 4 tbs butter; 4 cloves of garlic, minced fine; 2 tbs parsley, minced; 2 onions, finely chopped; 3 cups lettuce, finely shredded; 4 cups chicken stock; 1 cup cream; salt and pepper to taste

Method: Heat the butter. Saut? garlic and onion until the onion is transparent. Add the lettuce, and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. When ready to serve, add the cream. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.