Lettuce Alone

Lettuce Alone
Tossing the Right Leaf

With a bit of knowledge of lettuce and other greens, you can use these leafy vegetables to create fabulous salads from a recipe or your imagination. Lettuce and greens can be used interchangeably in most salads. However, each type of green does carry it's own flavor (and sometimes texture). Categorized, the following lists will help you choose great alternatives to lettuce and greens when you don't have the specific type on hand that the recipe calls for. And, for you inventive cooks, the lists will help you narrow in on the type of flavor or texture you want to come out in your tossed salad. Some greens are under more than one list. This is because newer shoots tend to be more mild and tender than older ones.

Remember that this is simply a guideline. While mixing mild greens with more bitter or peppery kinds or adding the crunch of cabbage to a mixture of looseleaf lettuces can create dynamic taste/texture duos, feel free to toss in whatever green you have on hand. For the most part, any green with dressing is going to be simply wonderful!

Mild Greens Asparagus lettuce (Celtuce) Bibb Boston Butterhead Celery leaves Chinese cabbage Green looseleaf Iceberg Oakleaf Red looseleaf Romaine Savoy cabbage	Bittersweet Greens Arugula Baby collards Belgian endive Dandelion greens (new leaves) Escarole Kale Watercress (mildest bunches)
Bitter or Peppery Greens Broccoli rabe Curly endive Dandelion greens (old leaves) Mustard greens Radicchio Radish leaves Sorrel Turnip greens Watercress (peppery bunches)	Crisp Greens Cabbages Iceberg lettuce Pea shoots Purlane Spinach Flavor Amaranth Baby chard Beet greens Spinach

* DVO welcomes your kitchen hints and cooking or nutrition questions! Email us and we'll post your hints and Q/A's in upcoming newsletters! *