Braised Romaine Lettuce

Who knew you could cook lettuce? It’s a revelation to many Australians, but a traditional side dish in much of Europe. Italians love grilled radicchio and sautéed escarole (curly endive), while the French use romaine lettuce (also called cos) for their braised lettuce, often adding tiny new season spring peas (petits pois). You can add a little diced speck or pancetta to braised lettuce for a heartier dish too. With or without speck, I particularly enjoy braised romaine lettuce as a side dish with any poached or roasted chicken; add a glass of Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier for a delicious lunch or dinner! Braised lettuce is a great way to use the stock leftover from poaching chicken in dishes such as Hainanese Chicken Rice or Steeped Chicken with Spicy Slaw – or use vegetable stock for vegetarian braised lettuce.

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

2 baby cos lettuce (also called gem; see FAQ below)
25g butter (1oz)
2 golden shallots, finely diced
Salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
200ml chicken stock or vegetable stock (about ¾ cup)

Method

Cut the lettuces into quarters lengthways and trim off the very ends, ensuring there’s enough left to hold the leaves together.
Rinse to remove any grit then shake gently to remove excess water.
Melt butter in a large heavy-based frying pan over a low heat.
Add shallot and a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for 5–10 minutes, until tender and just starting to colour.
Increase heat to high, arrange lettuce in the pan, cut side down in a single layer.
Add stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Turn the lettuce over so that the other cut side is in contact with the pan and cook for a further 3–5 minutes, until the thickest part of the stems is just tender.
Transfer lettuce to a serving dish and put liquid into a small saucepan.
Boil liquid for about 10 minutes, until reduced to a saucy consistency.
Taste and add salt and pepper.
Pour sauce over braised lettuce and serve.

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Braised Romaine (Cos) Lettuce

What Other Cooks Say

FAQ

What are other names for cos lettuce?

Cos lettuce is known as romaine lettuce in North America and occasionally also called Manchester or Roman lettuce. Baby cos is sometimes sold as gem lettuce or little gem.

Where does the name 'cos' lettuce come from?

Many sources say the name cos comes from the Greek island of Kos, where this variety of lettuce first grew. However other sources link the name to the Arabic word for lettuce, khas or khus.