What is that strange lettucy thing – Week 4 Veggie Challenge

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

What is that strange lettucy thing – Week 4 Veggie Challenge

You may have noticed a gap between week 3 and 4 of my Veggie a Week Challenge – I have been away from home and just getting back into the swing of things.

If you’ve only just tuned in, I have a started a challenge to try a new new fruit or vegetable every week for a year. The the previous posts are running at the end of each week’s post.

This week I grabbed something from the Supermarket that I have often walked past and wondered what to do with it. It’s an ingredient I’ve seen on a few cooking shows but they always seemed to cook it and to me something that looks like a lettuce that is heated up just didn’t seem right.

Witlof

As I’m bit time poor this week, let me share with you what Woolworths say about Witlof on their Website:

Witlof is a variety of salad green that is equally good raw or cooked. It’s related to radicchio, and has similarly crisp leaves to that vegetable. Its leaves are tightly packed and white in colour, with pale green tips. They have a crisp texture and delicate, slightly bitter flavour. Available all year round, witlof is good in salads, served as edible containers for finger food, or cooked in vegetable dishes.

To Buy: Look for witlof with tightly packed leaves and no brown tinges

To Store:Store witlof wrapped in brown paper (this preserves its white colour and prevents it from turning green and bitter) in the crisper section of your fridge for up to 2 days

To Prepare: Remove and discard any tougher outside leaves then cut a thin slice off the base and separate the leaves. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth then keep whole or slice as required.

Tips for cooking with Witlof

For a fresh winter side dish, thickly slice witlof leaves then set aside. Cook diced bacon until golden and crisp then add witlof and a little butter. Cook until witlof is tender. Stir through chopped parsley then serve with roast meats.

For a fresh salad, thinly slice witlof leaves then toss together with mixed salad leaves. Add thin slices of apple, crumbled creamy blue cheese and chopped toasted pecan nuts. Drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar then serve.

For a fresh appetiser, separate whole witlof leaves. Spoon a little cottage cheese into each leaf then top with chopped toasted walnuts, pine nuts and raisins. Serve with drinks.

I made this salad with snow pea sprouts, fetta, red onion, lemon juice and olive oil to go with some marinated chicken.

I can honestly say this is one veggie that will be coming back into our shopping patterns as it’s so crisp and yummy and works well in so many different way.

Here’s a few other ideas.
{all recipe images are linked to their original source in the description}