Lettuces & Salad Greens

Far from the shrink-wrapped iceberg lettuce that used to populate grocery stores, most of us now face a choice of salad greens at the market--particularly if we shop at farmers markets. Use this guide to learn oak leaf from butter lettuce, arugula from mache. Lettuces in general are cool weather crops, at their best in spring and early summer...

Nothing compares with truly fresh salad greens. If you think you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a bag of pre-washed lettuce preserved with a blast of gas and a head of just-picked lettuce from a farmers market, try a side-by-side comparison. The delights of truly fresh lettuce are one of the greatest taste advantages to eating...

The best lettuce is that bought in heads or bunches and washed at home. Sorry, but it's true. See how to clean yours quickly, easily, and efficiently here.

Chervil adds a lovely flavor to a simple tossed salad.

Fresh, tender spring greens are the first signs that the lighter dishes of spring are on their way (and that hearty winter eating is coming to an end). Learn about spring greens with this guide.

A tossed salad of dill and mâche (a.k.a. lamb's lettuce) is an easy and refreshing addition to simple meals.

Fattoush is a great salad of fresh vegetables, a bright dressing, and pieces of crisp pita bread.

Goat Cheese Salad is a classic French bistro dish that is easy to make at home.

Sweet and tart grapefruit sections, silky smooth avocado, and lightly crisp butter lettuce make a fabulous salad.

Putting heads of Romaine lettuce on the grill wilts the outer leaves, gives this salad and smokey flavor, but keeps most of the leaves nice and crisp.

Orange persimmon slices and red pomegranate seeds make a brilliantly colored salad.

This simple salad of crisp Romaine lettuce and rich pine nuts is a great and easy addition to almost any meal.

A tossed salad with cucumbers, carrots, mint, dill, and parsley is an easy and refreshing addition to simple meals.

Grilling adds a smokey flavor to romaine lettuce - which can then be added to salads or served whole with your favorite dressing see how easy it is to Grill Romaine Lettuce here.

The fresh herbs, tender lettuces, and sweet onions of spring make this Vietnamese Spring Noodle Salad delicious. It's also a snap to pull together for a quick dinner and endlessly flexible.