Vegetable Profile: Celtuce

Description:
Celtuce is a new variety on our farm - sometimes called "Celery lettuce", "Asparagus lettuce", or less enticingly "stem lettuce". Even though it may look unusual, it is one of the easiest and most rewarding of the unusual vegetables. The leaves can be used as a tender bitter green to be chopped up and cooked, but the main attraction is the stem - peeled of the outer skin like a kholrabi, the inner stem is crisp, sweet, and delicious. 
 
Nutrition:
​Celtuce is packed with vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. It has a cooling nature, and its flavors are sweet and lightly bitter. 

Storage:
Celtuce can be stored in a water-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or so. Use before stem becomes soft or hollow. 

Use: 
Peel the outerskin with a vegetable peeler first. 
Cooked: Sautee in stirfry, use like a water chestnut, radish, or celery
Raw: Thinly chop the inner stem into strips and use in place of cucumber in a salad or sandwich.

Sources:
The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia by Rebecca Wood
Asparagus to Zucchini by Fairshare Coalition
Produce: A fruit and vegetable lover's guide by Bruce Beck
Our own experience!​

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