An Extraordinary Way With Lettuce (and Broad Beans)

Broad beans. Sainsburys :)

I know those are broad beans up there and the title of this post says lettuce but I didn't take a picture of the lettuce but I did take a picture of the broad beans.

I watched a Nigel Slater cookery programme a few years back and actually paid attention and made one of the recipes. I remember the title as being "An extraordinary way with lettuce". I've made it a few times since and each time, the interpretation gets a bit more lax and it's become more a go with the flow recipe now as I make it with any summer veg that I have to hand. #get_some_veg_down_ya

I made it again the other day as we had some left over gammon to use up along with some stock and then I thought, it might be a useful and easy dish for some people out there. Let me say now, I'm not a cook, chef or foodie. I cook food purely to feed hungry mouths so my method description may be rather short and sweet. A bit like me ;o)

This serves the 4 of us but the measurements are very loose (depends on what I have to hand).

Ingredients

• Big slice of butter 
• 2 x gem lettuce (halved)
• 1 x large leek (chopped into chunks)
• 4-5 spring onions cut into 1inch lengths
• Handful of peas (frozen is fine)
• Any summer veg (eg. baby sweetcorn/brocolli/asparagaus/green beans/broad beans)
• Enough vegetable stock to cover the veg. Add more if you like it soupy.
• Thick cut ham
• Optional. Handful of mini pasta shells- my boys like these and it bolsters up a meal.

Method

• Optional. Cook the mini pasta shapes in a pan and drain.
• Melt the butter in a deep wide pan.
• Add the leeks and cook till soft.
• Throw in all the veg along with the stock.
• Cook for 5-10 mins till veg is softened.
• Warm a few slices of ham in the soupy concoction.
• Season to taste.
• Optional. Put some mini pasta shapes in bowls for those who want them. Ladle the soupy concoction over.
• Serve. 

Looks like this when it's served up and I swear there is some lettuce in there but it's hiding at the bottom.

Nutritious and delicious.

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Last Note :

• Nigel Slater's original lettuce recipe can be found here.

• Use a stock cube if you like - I quite often do. It's not always possible to have a pint of homemade stock at the ready #iamnotadomesticgoddess

• I always blanch and remove the skins from broad beans and then add them to the Grump's plate at the end of the cooking and ladle the soup and veg over them which warms them through. That way, I don't have to have them and he doesn't have to have pasta shells. Everyone's a winner!