When I started thinking about the column this week I was wondering what dish I would bring into focus. After a business event yesterday I knew what it was going to be, ‘wilted lettuce’. So I’ll start with a ‘little’ story from the past weekend. My business associate had a new employee in the office a few years ago. Said employee kept saying she had wilted lettuce almost every night for supper with a piece of meat. The supervisor thought: ‘Wow, this gal is having some financial issues if all she has to eat is wilted lettuce.’ So, the next day when she once again stated she had wilted lettuce for dinner Jo said something to this affect: ‘Can I assist you with some extra funds so you don’t have to keep eating lettuce that is wilted?’ Imagine her surprise when she learned that it’s a well-known recipe particularly in the south! Yes, I chuckled too, couldn’t imagine having never eaten this dish.
As you look at this recipe I want to emphasize the importance of finding the core of the dish. Wilted lettuce has a ratio of 1/4 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1/4 cup cider vinegar plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar. When you taste the dressing see how you like my mother’s ratios. I’m doing a version of this dressing, and the ratio is 1/4 cup white vinegar to only 1 tablespoon of sugar. See what you prefer and temper the dressing to your families personal likes.
Vinegars, oh my goodness, there are sooooo…many to choose from these days. Once you have found your personal ratios for the oil/vinegar start diverting to more unique formats. IE: Walnut oil and white vinegar blend with a spinach base, toasted English Walnuts, Oranges and Feta cheese sprinkled over the top at the end. Red Raspberry Blush Vinegar with bacon drippings accompanying a salad featuring almonds, red raspberries, celery and green onion.
Main Entrees: During the summer when fresh garden lettuce is not available I would probably use a mixture of Boston Bibb lettuce and tender romaine, maybe even spinach. With the Raspberry idea in the former paragraph add grilled chicken or steak. What I suggest people do in the summer is to grill extra meats like skirt steak that can be used on a summer salad or perhaps fajitas at a later time. Remember when you’re re-warming these meats to do so in the steamer as it returns the moistness to the meat. This means on a 98 degree summer evening you’re not heating up the kitchen and you’re still having a good meal at home.
The added ingredients to wilted lettuce or spinach salads seem to vary from region to region. In the south lots of folks add hard boiled eggs to wilted lettuce. If the salad is going in a large bowl I refrain from using the yolk as it kind of ‘dirties’ the salad presentation. On individual salads sliced hard-boiled egg creates an attractive plate. A few times I have seen sliced red radishes in the salad, and most always you use fresh green onions. Of course the bacon pieces are always present in this old fashioned dressing style. So today I learn about wilted lettuce from Pella, Iowa. You will love their style of this recipe, it is referred to as ‘Dutch Mess’. They prepare the salad the same way as mine except under the salad are sliced boiled potatoes, usually reds or Yukon Gold’s. Turning it into a mixture that sounds like wilted lettuce and German potato salad!
You know many times while I am writing to my readers new ideas pop in and I can hardly control them. Wouldn’t asparagus be good served in a bacon/vinegar dressing like this one? I’m thinking use the dressing with potatoes and asparagus perhaps with the sliced potato reds for a lovely warm side dish.
We lost a dear uncle this past week and will be traveling to McPherson this coming weekend. We are saddened for the occasion, yet anxious to see our family. Grab each day and enjoy it to the utmost. Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Wilted Lettuce
Garden Lettuce or very tender Romaine/Boston Bibb blend
6 slices bacon, sliced into 1/4 – 1/2 pieces
Reserved bacon drippings
6 green onions, diced fine including some of the green top
1/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup cider vinegar plus one additional tablespoon
Chop a 4 quart bowl full of fresh garden lettuce or the alternative blend. Place chopped onions and any other favorite ingredients on the top. Fry the bacon and allow to cool. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel. The drippings should be around 3-4 tablespoons. If you don’t have enough drippings add olive oil until you reach 4 tablespoons. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed and vinegar to the drippings and bring to a quick boil. Add the bacon back in and pour over the salad while still warm, stirring quickly as you disperse the dressing.
Seeking a bit of heat? Use red pepper, dry mustard or even fresh garlic.
