Lettuce Mash
Latin
aliter holus molle ex foliis lactucarum: cum cepis quoques ex aqua nitrata; expressum concides minutatim; in mortario teres piper ligusticum apii semen mentam siccam cepam liquamen oleum et uinum.
English
Another way, a soft dish from lettuce leaves: cook them with onions in soda water [nitre water]; squeeze them out and chop finely; in a mortar grind pepper, lovage, celery seed, dried mint, onion, fish sauce, oil, and wine.
Ingredients
- 1 head of lettuce
- 2 onions, peeled and cut in half
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Pepper
- ½ tsp dried lovage
- ½ tsp celery seeds, ground in mortar and pestle
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 Tb fish sauce
- 2 Tb olive oil
- 2 Tb white wine
Method
- Place the lettuce, onions, and baking soda in a large saucepan. Cover in water, bring to the boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Drain the water from the saucepan, then leave the lettuce and onions to cool for a few minutes.
- Once cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the lettuce and onions, then finely dice and place into a serving bowl.
- Mix together the pepper, herbs, fish sauce, olive oil, and wine, then pour over the lettuce and onions. Toss the mixture and serve.