Eating your vegetables when they are still new and quite small is a luxury I definitely recommend that you indulge in from time to time. It's like eating those first vegetables of spring, but all year round.

Frying small, tightly packed lettuce heads is absolutely delicious. I like using the romaine lettuce variety Little Gem. This variety is really great for overwintering, and you can sow it in winter too! Count on using one lettuce head per person (that's about how much we eat in our family.) Eat them as they are or use a topping you like.

Instructions:

Lettuce:
Rinse the head and cut it in half.
Fry in olive oil, in a hot pan with the flat side down. The lettuce should get some color but don't cook it all the way through.
Season with salt and pepper.

Topping 1:
Roast some seeds in a hot pan.
Add a pinch of salt.
Sprinkle over the lettuce.

Topping 2:
Sprinkle some dried herbs on the lettuce and finish with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice.

Fried lettuce is a great side to fish, meat and vegetable dips. Try it!

Recipe: Sara Bäckmo och  Maria Strömberg Bååth
Photo: Maria Strömberg Bååth