Stem Lettuce

APPEARANCE: At first sight identify this vegetable by its stem: 10 to 15 inches long, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, covered with prominent reddish (leaf) scars and topped with a cluster of leaves. Note that the leaves lack stalks and have the light green color and thin texture of ordinary leaf lettuce.

QUALITY: Choose those with stems of large diameter and white, firm pith. Look for and avoid those with signs of wet rot, especially on the leaf scars or at the center of the base.

COMMENTS: Stem lettuce has been grown for centuries in northern China, where the leaves are cooked fresh and the stem is pickled. This explains why Chinese canned “pickled lettuce” unexpectedly resembles a root more than a leaf. An American seed company introduced this vegetable to the West in 1942 under the name “celtuce”.