Call me crazy, but I LOVE cooked lettuce.

I like greens generally (cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli… even brussel sprouts) but cooked lettuce has a freshness and flavour that is just delicious, and perfect for spring.

Here are two recipes that feature the cutest member of the lettuce family, the humble Little Gem…

The Leon Quick Bean and Lettuce Stew
This first dish has become something of a Sunday staple in our household. I never have the energy or inclination to cook anything strenuous by the time the weekend starts to draw to a close, but my body still craves something wholesome and nutritious (particularly if I’ve indulged in a little vino the night before).

This steaming pot of luscious beans and greens takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and is very popular with the children (I think the bacon satisfies their salt cravings, my poor processed-food-deprived babies).

You will need:
6 rashers of bacon (or a generous handful of chopped black olives if you’re craving something vegetarian)
2cloves of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
200ml chicken stock
1 x 400g tin of canellini beans (I also used a small tin of pinto beans and a drop more stock)
150g lettuce (the recipe calls for cos but I used 2 little gems)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Chop the bacon and garlic. Heat the oil in a pan and add the bacon. Cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and fennel seeds.

2.Pour in the tinned tomatoes and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock and the drained beans, and cook for a further 5 minutes.

4. Season well, add the chopped lettuce, and allow to wilt before serving.

5. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with lots of black pepper.

Next up is Nigella’s Braised Little Gems.
This recipe is taken from the Forever Summer book which, along with Delia’s Summer Collection, are my most used recipe books between May and September.

This dish makes a fabulous side for a summery Sunday roast, especially a delicious lemon infused chicken (which is just a fancy way of saying I stick a lemon up the bird’s bum). I normally do a tray of roast sweet potato and omit the traditional gray, the broth from the little gems is all you need. It’s a much lighter take on Sunday lunch and perfect once the weather has started to warm up.

You will need:
6 little gem lettuces
500ml chicken stick
60ml extra virgin olive oil
handful of fresh thyme sprigs (as an aside, fresh thyme freezes really well, I keep a small sealed bag in the freezer, the leaves go a little black but all the flavour is retained)
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 6

2. Cut the ends off the lettuce, and remove any discoloured outer leaves. Lay the little gems snugly in a baking dish, then pour over the chicken stock. Drizzle over the oil and pull the leaves off the sprigs of thyme and sprinkle them over, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Cover the dish tightly with foil, and place in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the lettuces are softly wilting and tender.

Mmmmmm! I’ve just managed to make myself really hungry! Have you ever tried cooked lettuce ladies? Do you eat up all your greens?!

Loveaudrey xxx