For clarification's sake, types of lettuces can be generally placed in one of four categories: looseleaf, butterhead, crisphead, and romaine. A prime example of a crisphead is iceberg lettuce : its round head is made up of tightly packed, crunchy leaves.
Butterheads are also round, but the leaves are more loose and have a smoother texture than those of their crisphead cousins. The elongated leaves of romaine and its thick white rib are its outstanding physical characteristics. As the name states, looseleaf lettuces are loosely gathered, growing as a rosette, enabling the grower to just remove the leaves rather than harvest the entire plant.
Not too long ago, some of these greens were deemed fancy or hard-to-find, but they have made their way into the mainstream and can now be found at local grocery stores and farmers markets. Many of these salad greens are also easy to grow yourself; for seeds and seedlings, consult your local gardening supply shop or an online source such as Burpee.
Want to get to know each type of salad green? Here are the characteristics of a variety of popular types of lettuce:.
Characteristics: Originating from the Mediterranean, this green tastes earthy and slightly tart with a bold, peppery kick. The shape of an arugula leaf is similar to oakleaf lettuce, with rounded edges that undulate from broad to slight. The edges of baby arugula aren't as defined. How to use it: Arugula can be eaten raw, in bold-flavored salads ; wilted into pasta ; cooked into a gratin; or blended into a pesto-like spread.
Characteristics: A type of head lettuce, the leaves of Boston and bibb lettuces are soft. And as this variety's name implies, the texture of a butter lettuce is indeed smooth like butter.
Bibb is the more expensive of the two and is often sold in a plastic container to protect the delicate leaves. How to use it: The tender leaves of butter lettuce work best in delicate salads , but their broad, flexible leaves can also be used as a wrap. Characteristics: Coral is a looseleaf variety and can be bright green, deep red, or speckled. The sturdy, crisp leaves have tight, frilly curls and a mild flavor. How to use it: The tight curls of coral lettuce are adept at trapping dressing.
The crisp but tender variety also makes a great sandwich or burger lettuce. Characteristics: A peppery taste is characteristic of all varieties. Sold in bunches, mature watercress has a tough, fibrous stem and small green leaves the stems of baby watercress are generally more tender. Be sure to wash all forms of cress thoroughly, since they often grow in sandy ground. How to use it: Cress has a bold flavor, but delicate texture. Use it in a sophisticated-but-simple side salads , toss them into a saucy noodle dish , or use them to top a spring pizza.
Characteristics: Endive is a type of chicory. The bitter sap is a mild opiate, particularly when the lettuce bolts. The photo shows leaves of very young plants, the leaf margins become deeply cut, ragged and pointy looking. While wild lettuce is much stronger, other loose-leaf lettuces have similar properties. Some years back I observed that the loose-leaf lettuce in a friend's garden had bolted. Connie remarked that it wasn't as good as before but they were still using it.
They were also wondering why they were falling asleep right after their salad served at the end of dinner in their household. My pigeons used to rip into the wild lettuce, then go and flake out on the roof, often lying upside-down.
Unfortunately they can't do that anymore - there are too many hawks now. Lettuces vary a little in nutritional content, but they are all very high in vitamin A and beta carotene which converts to vitamin A. The redder the variety, the more they have. They also contain good quantities of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, foliates, zia-xanthin and B complex, as well as a good selection of minerals and antioxidants. Lettuces are all very low in calories 15 per grams and are fat free.
They do contain oxalic acid, but only 0. Lettuces are known to help prevent osteoporosis and iron-deficiency anemia, and are suspected to be beneficial for cardiovascular disease, ARMD, Alzheimer's disease and cancers. Of course, all this is subject to our CloveGarden Medical Disclaimer. Chicory Root ] [ C. Belgian Endive - White [Witloof, French Endive, Cichorium intybus ] This very bitter chicory is pulled from the field and the green top cut off. Belgian Endive - Red Eager to entertain and pick up a little yuppie cash , California growers are now marketing a red variety of Belgian Endive.
I found the taste indistinguishable from the regular white but the heads were smaller, looser and more expensive. Use it if the color is important to you. Escarole [Batavian Endive, Bavarian Endive, Wide leaf Endive; Cichorium endivia var latifolia ] Escarole is less bitter than most chicories and has broad light green leaves and a very flat head. Radicchio [ Cichorium intybus ] A moderately bitter chicory that looks like a head of lettuce in the field.
Radicchio Treviso [ Cichorium intybus ] This is simply an elongated variety of the regular round Radicchio di Chioggia. Butter Lettuce [Butterhead, Boston, Bib or Limestone] These are very tender loose leaf lettuces often packed in individual plastic containers to protect them from damage. Apparently there is a difference, several actually. Which you use will determine the look, feel, and taste of your dish in significant ways. Endives and lettuce are two different leafy greens.
Endives are from the chicory family like radicchio , while lettuce is from the daisy family. Where lettuce is mild and somewhat flavorless, endives are bitter and will change the flavor of your salad or smoothie.
Endives have less sugar and a bit more antioxidants than lettuce source. You have more of a chance of finding lettuce in supermarkets, simply because there are more lettuce types than there are endives. And lettuce seems to be the leafy green of choice for salads, sandwiches, platters, or anything that needs to look pretty and green. Read also: Endive Substitutes. That bitterness mellows down when you cook endives, but they will lose their structure and wilt.
As for lettuce, their taste — any lettuce out there — is pretty bland. Similarly, its finer structure yields a different sort of bite, so that each mouthful of salad offers a variety of textures. Finally, its pale-green-to-yellow color helps offset the preponderance of dark green produced by the primary lettuce, whether it's Romaine, green leaf, or red leaf. It's made by blanching thick slices of bacon, then dicing and browning it before combining it along with some of its rendered fat with olive oil, mustard, and lemon juice to form a vinaigrette.
It loves the sun, and even a light frost won't faze it. You can also grow it in pots. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content.
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