Denise Latham's Lettuces and In Between Season's Salad Recipe

A year into my business I started to frequent the New Brighton Farmers Market as well as the Byron Bay farmers market. On my first visit I came across a stall selling organic lettuces. Prior to this visit I had been buying an organic lettuce mix and was getting a relatively good price on it. However, when I saw these lettuces at New Brighton Farmers market there was something quite different about them, they did look quite small though and for $2 a head I was unsure if I could afford them. In those days I used to get quite anxious about making new decisions around purchasing produce and was also worried about how I would keep them looking so good. I did buy ten and started stuffing them into one of my shopping bags. The lady at the stall spoke to me in what I felt was a rather abrupt manner and asked me to treat the lettuces better than I was. I was quite flummoxed by this interaction and didn’t go back to the stall for a few weeks.

I eventually let go of my ego and went back went back to the stall as I knew they were the lettuces I wanted to use in my catering as they tasted so good, looked so beautiful, weren't as small as I had originally thought and had something quite unique about them that was difficult at to put my finger on. I soon got to know the lady at the stall whose name is Denise Latham pictured here in this blog post. I also came to realise that the way Denise first spoke to me was not in abruptness but in concern for the lettuces she had so lovingly grown and it is this love that goes into her lettuces that is so obviously noticed when eating them. I not only love the lettuces but Denise herself, she is an absolute delight to buy from and her care for what she grows astounds me. It is the same care as I like to show towards the food I serve my clients and it is so refreshing to be on the same wavelength as someone else.

When the weather is not good and Denise’s supply of lettuces is minimal I avoid substituting my salads with any other lettuce as I know my customers and retreat clients have become accustomed to Denise Latham’s lettuces and I will instead opt to filling the salads with other ingredients instead of lettuce. The angels who work with me on large retreats, weddings and events can clearly feel the difference in the lettuces when they are washing them and recently a new participant on a retreat I was catering for said that he had never eaten such fresh lettuces and told me that there was something quite energetically beautiful about them.

Three years ago Mullumbimby farmers market opened and much to my elation Denise started selling lettuces there. This has made it really easy for me to always use Denise’s lettuces when catering and if I do run out in the middle of a job Denise will always deliver to the venue I am catering at. I feel so blessed to be able to use exceptionally good produce.

For those people who do not live in the Byron Bay shire you might want to try and source something similar. Look for organic lettuces at your local farmers markets and if you don’t have a farmers market go to your local greengrocers and if they don’t have organic lettuces ask them if they can start sourcing them. At first they will probably say no but from experience if you ask enough they will make an effort. If this all seems too hard you never know there may be someone in your neighborhood growing organic lettuces who may want a bit of extra cash or if any of these options just aren’t there for you as you live remotely or too urbanely to have a green grocers have an attempt at growing your own.

Here are a few little tips that Denise gave to our local paper on growing lettuces

In Summer- plant in full shade.

In Spring and Autumn plant in soft rays of the morning sun.

In Winter plant in full sun.

Liquid feed them every week.

Plant every couple of weeks to get an even supply.

Plant in a box during extreme weather ensuring the box has good drainage.

Finally for storing your beautiful lettuces in the fridge always put them in a sealed container or if space is an issue in a plastic bag.

And now a salad recipe for this transitioning time of winter into spring

1 crisp green lettuce

6 new baby potatoes washed and cut into quarters lengthways

200g green beans cut on the angle into thirds

8 sun dried tomatoes (the ones that haven’t been marinated)soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes

20 or so kalamata olives or green olives

200g mushrooms cut into quarters if small or into smaller pieces if larger

splash of olive oil

your choice of protein listed in my order of preference 2 boiled eggs per person, 100g tempeh per person, 100g of fetta per person, 200g cannellini beans per person

Dressing

Juice of 1 lemon

Twice as much olive oil as the lemon juice

Good pinch or two of sea salt

1 tsp mustard of your choice

quick drizzle of maple syrup.

Garnish

Sprouts of your choice

For the dressing mix everything together well. Bring the baby potatoes to the boil and let simmer for 10 minutes or until cooked. Steam the beans to your liking. Remove the sundried tomatoes from the water and cut into strips. Fry the mushrooms for 10 minutes in a splash of olive oil. Prepare the protein of your choice and wash your lettuce. In a large salad bowl or individual bowl arrange the lettuce then the potatoes, beans, sundried tomatoes and olives. Put the protein on top and garnish with sprouts. Drizzle on the dressing.

Categories:Salads

Tags:Salad dressing