Lettuce is reviled by many, considered salad fodder for dieters, limp and soggy sandwich stuffing, or as an inconsequential side dish. True, lettuce has been given a bad name by some, but there are endless varieties and recipes to explore, treviso, frisée, radicchio or romaine, to name but a few.

Tom Kitchin serves his fabulous lamb recipe with both seared baby gem lettuce and lettuce sauce, creating a beautifully fresh counterpart to the rich lamb. As well as adding a striking addition to the dish, the treviso lettuce in Theo Randall's beef carpaccio adds a delicious tang to the rich beef and Gorgonzola.

Braising lettuce yields delightful results, as the cooking of a lettuce brings out a unique sweetness while holding down a fresh flavour, as is illustrated beautifully in Matthew Tomkinson's Alaska salmon recipe.