Wilted lettuce is a warm dressing poured over lettuce, bacon, vinegar, and green onions. It can also be made without bacon by sautéing garlic and lettuce in olive oil. Other additions include boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, and grated Parmesan. Pre-cut salad mixes can also be used.
When many people think of lettuce dishes, the image that comes to mind is that of a cold salad. To some, wilted lettuce is just greens that have been left in the fridge too long. Wilted lettuce, however, is actually a warm dressing poured over pieces of lettuce. Precise recipes vary, but basic ingredients include bacon, vinegar, and green onions. Some cooks buy a fresh head of lettuce to prepare the dish, but others choose to prep it to use lettuce that has lost some of its crunch but hasn’t quite reached the level where it needs to be tossed out.
To make wilted lettuce, fry four or five strips of bacon in a large skillet; remove bacon when done, crumble and set aside. Add two tablespoons vinegar and salt and pepper to taste to bacon drippings; some cooks also add a tablespoon or two of brown or granulated sugar. Allow the mixture to continue to cook, stirring often, while you prepare the lettuce.
Tear or cut the lettuce into small pieces and place in a serving bowl. Cut three to six green onions, including their tops, very thin, add the crumbled bacon and mix with the lettuce. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss. Serve the wilted lettuce dish while hot.
A fatter, less greasy alternative recipe for wilted lettuce does away with the bacon. To make this lettuce dish, saute three or four finely chopped garlic cloves in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a deep skillet. Add chopped lettuce and sprinkle with salt, if desired. Continue to sauté the mixture until the lettuce is well wilted, then remove it from the pan, drain and serve hot. This recipe is especially good for lettuce that has lost its crunch but hasn’t yet begun to shape or form a gooey coating.
Some cooks like to add wilted lettuce with boiled eggs or sliced cherry tomatoes. Sliced olives or mushrooms are also possible additions, either as a topping or mixed with greens. The dish is occasionally sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
If desired, pre-cut salad mixes can be used in place of the lettuce. Typically, these mixes contain other greens, such as carrots or radishes, in addition to iceberg or romaine lettuce. Because pre-cut lettuce loses its body faster than an intact head, some cooks save leftover mixes by making wilted lettuce. The additional greens, however, may not make it a desirable substitute for everyone.
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