There are countless lettuce varieties, some with a fresh crunch, others with a soft peppery flavour. In the West they are a staple ingredient in salads, but many varieties are also delicious when cooked. Try braising them with peas and onions, or barbecuing them with olive oil to get a surprisingly flavourful vegetable. Whole leaves can also be pressed into service as wrappers, to enclose fish for steaming or in South-East Asian spring rolls. We’ve picked out some great recipes that bring lettuce into the limelight. Read more about lettuce
Ching-He Huang wraps lettuce wrappers around tender stir-fried beef - a great choice for a tasteful first course
Lamb's lettuce, baked beetroot and chopped egg in a creamy, dream of a dressing make great eating from Jane Grigson, Sophie's mum
Deliciously delicate in flavour, Janet Brinkworth brings a taste of summer to the table with this great accompaniment dish
Gennaro Contaldo creates a little mealtime magic using sunshine vegetables and stale bread, just as his Grandmother did when he was a child
Lettuce has a surprisingly good flavour when cooked, and Diana Henry shows it off to its full advantage in this simple summer soup
Crunchy iceberg, crisp cucumber and oodles of coarse black pepper pack big bold flavours into Alastair Hendy's Mum's big teak bowl!
Healthy, flavoursome and made in a jiffy, Janet Brinkworth's low-fat lettuce wraps make a great starter or light supper
Jean-Christophe Novelli's cheese and herb flavoured carrot gateau is neatly wrapped in pretty green lettuce leaves and cloaked with rich egg sauce
Maria Elia's juicy pancetta-wrapped prawns are served with smashed new potatoes, peas and barbecued lettuce
For a sensational starter or party food with pizzazz, try Joanne Weir's cool lettuce wraps of mouth-watering savoury-sweet spiced chicken
