Lamb’s lettuce is enjoying a prolonged spell in the spotlight this month.
As well as the poll featured on freshinfo to find a suitable name change for the salad leaf - final results next week - UK pub chefs have been invited to dream up innovative ways of using it as part of the Loire Valley Agricultural Committee for Fruit & Vegetables, “Lamb’s Lettuce is More than a Garnish” recipe challenge.
According to the committee, the mild taste of lamb’s lettuce offers consumers a more versatile alternative to sharper-tasting leaves, such as rocket, spinach and mizuna, while chefs have also started using it to jazz up their menus.
Christopher Basten from the Craft Guild of Chefs said: “Soft and silky, with its dainty floret bouquet, lamb’s lettuce has always been popular as a garnish. But now chefs are realising that it’s an invaluable ingredient too.
“It can be whizzed up in soups, stirred into sauces, made into a fresh salsa, enlivens other green vegetables and is a great filling for poultry, meat and pasta.”
Sopexa, which handles the lamb’s lettuce pr campaign, said judges are looking for imaginative hot or cold dishes that extends its use beyond the garnish occasion to be used as a principal ingredient in light bites, starter dishes or main courses.
The winner will feature in a lamb’s lettuce advertisement and be able to celebrate their success with a case of Loire Valley wines.
Chefs may enter as many recipes as they like and all entries should be sent to lambslettuce@sopexa.com before July 28.
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