Get to know celtuce

Celtuce is known by many names: asparagus lettuce, stem lettuce or in Chinese wosun. Celtuce is an ancient Chinese type of lettuce. And a frequently used vegetable in the Asian cuisine, but it’s also a great ingredient to use in other kitchens.

Surprising delicate flavor

So celtuce is a form of lettuce grown primarily for its thick stem. It kind of looks like the stem of broccoli, but bigger and gnarlier. The stem of the celtuce should be peeled of its tough exterior. The skin is bitter and thick, so make sure you peel away enough. The inside is surprisingly crisp, delicate and with a transparant green color. You also directly notice the scent, pandan. The taste is also reminiscent of pandan, with the freshness of celery and a nutty aftertaste.

Celtuce in the kitchen

Celtuce is amazing to use raw, shortly blanched or stir-fried. When sliced thinly it can be used raw for any other crispy vegetable like radish, cucumber or carrot. Stir-fried it’s a great combination with garlic and mushroom. When the leaves are still attached to the stem, they can also be cooked with rice or broth to give extra flavor.

A nice example is chef Michel Bras from the French Laguiole, who elevated the vegetable kitchen to a type of art, he prepared the celtuce in a simple way: thickly peeled, cut however you want, shortly blanched and baked with some butter and lime juice and zest. Also at some prestigious restaurants in The Netherlands the celtuce has gotten a permanent spot on the menu.