A second helping of June's offerings...

As promised, I'm going to devote another post to this month's seasonal veg. After discussing cucumber, asparagus and broad beans, it's now the turn of curly lettuce. I think there's something very appealing about curly lettuce. Admittedly it tastes like a round lettuce, but its fancy leaves set it apart. I know that you're probably thinking "What can you do with lettuce other than pop it in a sandwich or add it to a salad?". In fairness that's a big part of what lettuce can be used for, but the key is to be creative when you're making a sandwich or salad, so that's what the suggestions below are about.

• Serve curly lettuce with a chopped avocado and mixed beans. Drizzle with a lemon and mustard dressing.
• Top curly lettuce with grated carrot and chopped Wensleydale cheese. Dress with a little olive oil and black pepper.
• Add a chopped tomato and an orange pepper to a handful of curly lettuce and watercress. A few strips of chicken breast and a fine mist of balsamic vinegar finish off the dish.
• Cook fine green beans and new potatoes. Add to make a Nicoise salad with curly lettuce, cherry tomatoes, tuna and capers.
• Slice strips of carrot, pepper and cucumber. Place on top of curly lettuce, beansprouts and strips of beef. Serve with a horseradish dressing.
• Mix diced red onion, peppers and sundried tomatoes with cooked lentils, adding mint and lemon juice. Place on a bed of curly lettuce to serve.
• Make wraps with shredded duck, cucumber, curly lettuce and lemongrass. Drizzle with hoisin sauce before rolling up.
• Fill a wholemeal pitta pocket with curly lettuce, grated carrot, hummus and raisins.
• Slice and fill a seeded bagel with curly lettuce, sliced tomato and half a tin of mackerel in spicy tomato sauce.
• Make a bean paste with kidney beans, tomato puree, chilli and black pepper. Spread on oatcakes and garnish with chopped curly lettuce.
• Top a slice of granary bread with curly lettuce, cress and prawns dressed in lemon to make an open sandwich for a light lunch.

If your curly lettuce looks as if it has seen better days, you might like to make a soup with courgette, pea and mint - a great way to use all seasonal ingredients and ensure your lettuce doesn't go to waste.