Lamb's lettuce is very popular because of its pleasantly nutty aroma. You can recognize it by the small, round or slightly pointed leaves that form a rosette of leaves. Rapunzel lettuce tastes the most aromatic from October to December, so it is a typical winter salad.

The lamb's lettuce can be dried in a salad spinner after washing

Step 1: Wash lamb's lettuce

Lamb's lettuce is harvested by hand in bunches. In the case of outdoor crops in particular, soil residues often still adhere to the leaf rosettes, which should be carefully washed off. This is always done before cleaning, because lying in water this lettuce quickly loses its taste.

  1. Run ice cold water in the sink.
  2. Add the lamb's lettuce and toss it several times.
  3. Place in a colander and let drain.
  4. Repeat the process until the lettuce is completely clean.

Step 2: Clean the lamb's lettuce

Dry the lamb's lettuce in a salad spinner. The less water sticks to the small leaves, the easier it is to clean afterwards.

Since root remains are often still attached to the leaf rosettes, you need a sharp kitchen knife for this work:

  • Cut off the roots.
  • The leaf rosette should be preserved if possible.
  • Pluck off yellow or wilted leaves.

Rapunzel lettuce tastes particularly delicious when you dress it with a vinaigrette made from nut oils, as these oils bring out the intensely spicy taste.

After the purchase

Lamb's lettuce wilts quickly, so use it up quickly after you buy it. Wrap the lamb's lettuce loosely in a slightly damp tea towel and place in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator until ready to eat.

It will keep like this for two to three days. However, keep in mind that the valuable ingredients and the aroma are quickly lost when lamb's lettuce is stored.

tips

Lamb's lettuce can withstand temperatures as low as minus ten degrees Celsius. In the frost phase, it falls into a kind of slumber and continues to grow on warmer days. If you grow the winter lettuce in your own garden, you can always enjoy home-grown lettuce during the winter months, in frost-free periods.

Category:

Vegetable garden