An Iranian recipe for Lettuce

[gavin]

First step - grow the best cos lettuce you can!  Lobjoits Green Cos (?) - my favourite so far.

Then - the sweet-and-sour mint syrup (keep a stock in the fridge).

Ingredients

- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- at least 6 LARGE sprigs fresh mint

• Stir sugar and water on heat, until it's dissolved - bring to the boil.
  
• Add vinegar and lemon juice - bring back to the boil for 15-20 minutes until it's thick.  A little dribbled on a cold saucer should have the consistency of thin honey.
  
• Add mint sprigs (washed and drained) to boiling syrup, and after 1 minute, remove pan from heat and leave until the syrup has cooled.
  
• Strain and pour into a bottle and store.
  

How to use - best way of all!  Pour some syrup into a bowl, float some fresh mint sprigs or leaves on the top.  

Serve with leaves of a REALLY good cos lettuce - very fresh, very crisp, very tasty.  The idea is you fold a lettuce leaf, dip into the syrup, and eat.  Makes an unusual dessert, or serve with a nice flat bread as a light, summery meal.

All best - Gavin

[gavin]

[tim]

It's the mint that sells it for me! An under-rated herb. = Tim

[gavin]

Agreed :) :) :)  - and all those different varieties ---- yum-yum!

All best - Gavin

[Mrs Ava]

YUM!  Right up my plaza, but oh I can see Ava's face now if I dished him that up for lunch....hahahahahaha....he would look at me as though I had completely lost the plot!  :P

[Doris_Pinks]

Saw whatever the womans name is on the TV the other night, Oh Nigella, she put whole cos in a baking tray, and poured chicken stock  over them, covered, then baked them in the oven! If my lettuces ever get past the slugs, thought I would give it a go! Now I have 2 recipes!! Thanks Gavin ;D (oh 3 if you include peas n lettuce!)