Iceberg lettuce is a greed salad vegetable of the Asteraceae family.
Iceberg lettuce is characterized by excellent taste qualities, few calories and an abundance of vitamins. Aside everything else, it is much more enduring than regular lettuce.
Growing Iceberg Lettuce
Iceberg lettuce has a spring and autumn harvest, with summer temperatures not suitable for growing it. When planting a new harvest, the field needs to be plowed to a depth of 8″ (20 cm).
Iceberg lettuce is grown in sandy-clay soils with high moisture. Planting is done with specially made seedlings that are sowed in greenhouses.
When it's time to plant, the area chosen must not be too windy but must be well lit by the sun. Iceberg lettuce needs to be planted in a flat area, with the holes dug 11 3/4″ (30 cm) from one another. It must not be sprayed with pesticides to combat weeds.
When harvesting, an important rule is to cut the iceberg lettuce right by the head and to make sure that the plants are dry. This means that it must not be picked while it's raining or there's dew on the plants.
Composition of Iceberg Lettuce
Iceberg lettuce is an excellent source of folic acid but contains low levels of vitamin C. The darker outer leaves are rich in beta-carotene. This vegetable has more vitamins E and K than any other. Plus, it is abundant in calcium, vitamin B and vitamin PP.
Choosing and Storing Iceberg Lettuce
Choose an iceberg lettuce that looks heavy for its size, with fresh leaves that are firm to the touch and without any rotten areas. Store it in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Cooking Iceberg Lettuce
Firstly, remove the outer leaves and the core. Thoroughly wash and dry the leaves. After that they are ready for heat treatment.
Iceberg lettuce goes well with a number of different products. Traditionally it can be served seasoned with olive oil and vinegar. When preparing iceberg lettuce it is recommended to rip the leaves instead of cutting them, so as to preserve the beneficial substances in them. Small cherry tomatoes are an excellent addition to the fresh and crunchy vegetable.
Hands-down, the most popular application of iceberg lettuce is in the world-famous Caesar salad. Wherever you go in the world, this salad is served in different ways.
But its main ingredients are iceberg lettuce, croutons and parmesan. They pair nicely with all kinds of other products - tomatoes, chicken, shrimp, salmon, bacon, anchovies and others.
Iceberg Lettuce with Dressing
Ingredients: 1 head of iceberg lettuce, 2 bunches green onions, 1 cucumber, 1 tomato, a roasted chicken steak, arugula and feta cheese.
Ingredients for the dressing: 1 fresh garlic stalk, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, salt. The product quantities depend on each individual taste.
Preparation: Rip apart the iceberg lettuce, add the chopped green onions, cucumber and tomato. Add the chopped chicken steak, cheese and arugula. Season with the dressing and serve right away.
Benefits of Iceberg Lettuce
Unmistakably, iceberg lettuce is one of the most luxurious and favored salads around. This exotic vegetable enriches and diversifies our kitchen table in a very tasty way.
Aside everything else, this type of salad encompasses many valuable dietetic, nutritious and healing properties. An iceberg lettuce head contains about 90% water, meaning it is quite low in calories.
Iceberg lettuce is number 1 in calcium content, making it a capable ally in the battle against osteoporosis.
Regular consumption of iceberg lettuce lowers the risk of cancer (especially stomach cancer), developing anemia and cardiovascular diseases. It is recommended in the diet of pregnant women.
