Lettuce

Laitue

What it is

Egyptian tomb paintings show it growing tall and narrow, sacred to the fertility god Min for the milky sap it bleeds when cut. That sap gave it its Latin name — lactuca, from lac, milk — and in wild lettuce it is mildly sedative.

In the kitchen

Dress it at the very last second. Salt and acid start collapsing the leaf cells within a minute of touching them.

Goes with

Olive oil Lemon Chives Shallot Mustard Black pepper Radish Cucumber

Same species

Celtuce

Also used with

Saint-Marcellin Ssamjang Viola Rice paper (bánh tráng) Pumpkin seed oil Rocamadour

In season alongside

Cucumber Sweetfish (ayu) Borage Brousse du Rove Chayote Chervil

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