I’d never consider cooking lettuce greens of any kind.

I wouldn’t either.

I try to buy it in small quantities, no more than I can use in a few days. When it starts to wilt, I pick over the leaves one by one. When the whole thing smells funky, I trash it.

@janbb Escarole Pie is an Italian thing. I think Southern Italian. I sauté spinach all of the time with mushrooms. I put spinach in pasta dishes too.

@Jeruba I try to only buy when I know I can eat it all within a few days. I just wasn’t in the mood to eat salad yesterday and the lettuce is on its last legs. This happens once in a while, and I’d prefer not to waste it. I usually trash it when it starts to smell off also. Although, when it’s just starting I also pick out the leaves that are icky, and I rinse the rest to eat that day.

^^ Yes, I know escarole and spinach are cooked but that’s not lettuce.

I do find that spring mix goes off very quickly especially the purple leaves. I’ve started buying whole green leaf lettuces instead that last longer.

In any case, you could try it and see what you think.

@janbb Is escarole and spinach very different for some reason? I was thinking about that; why some leafy greens for cooking and not others? People sauté kale also. I hate kale. I really have no idea why the different customs.

The purple yes! I have the same experience.

I’m going to try it. I’m sure if I added bacon or sausage and mozzarella and rolled it in dough it would be good. Lol.

I’m going to try to keep it semi-healthy though. Maybe I’ll put it in some pasta fagioli, I’m sure it will shrink to nothing.

I’d be interested in your results!

Cooking spring greens will not hold up to anything beyond eating right now.
You can cut them down and blanch them in boiled water for 2 minutes and add some lemon, pepper, salt, and olive oil. But you still recommend eating it right away.

I have a method of keeping lettuce fresh for weeks.
Core the head by whacking it on the edge of the counter. Put water in the cored out hole. Wrap the lettuce in paper towels. Wet the paper towels. Put the lettuce in a plastic bag. Put in the fridge.
When you go to use it later take off the damp towels and throw them away. You may have some brown crap on the top layer. Peel that off and you’ll have bright green, crunchy, fresh lettuce beneath. For weeks.
Replace the paper towels every time you use the lettuce and rewet.
Same with celery.

^^It’s not a head, I bought a container of spring mix, but that’s good to know in other situations.

My iceberg lasts a couple of weeks. Plenty of time.

So far I cooked them down with a little olive oil and salt. They don’t taste great, but not terrible. Probably, would taste better with more salt. I definitely could throw them in some dish for the vitamin k, b, and fiber. The trick will be tomorrow, because I’m not eating them tonight. If @Forever_Free is correct it might be a bust, which is fine, because I would have had to toss the lettuce tomorrow anyway.

I thought this sounded very unappealing (meaning: disgusting) but I googled it just to see if it’s do-able, because I know in some countries they don’t throw anything away. If you google “cooked lettuce” you’ll find a lot of ideas and recipes. I was surprised but I guess it can be “a thing.”

Since it probably won’t taste great on its own, I’d recommend a quiche. You can’t really taste slivers of greens when they’re surrounded by a cheese/milk/egg mixture. Good luck. I think it’s pretty cool that you’re trying to avoid waste.

Not something I would consider.

Sure, chop it fine enough, and toss it in a soup or lasagna, or whatever. just make sure you don’t use any slimy bits, because it can affect the taste.

I would use in an omelet but with other things too to provide a variety of flavors.

Today’s NYTImes Cooking newsletter was headlined “Cook Your Iceberg Lettuce”.