Stem lettuce is lightly flavored, so is as much a textural element as
a flavor element. Because of its crispness, even with fairly long cooking,
you will want to use it in fairly thin slices or smallish dice.
[Celtuce, Celery Lettuce, Asparagus Lettuce, Chinese Lettuce; Wosun,
Woju (China); Lactuca sativa var asparagina alt var
augustana, var angustata]
This lettuce is grown mainly for its stem, which is peeled and sliced or diced and used in stir fries. It is also often pickled. The flavor is fairly mild, much like a slightly bitter cucumber, so it's usually paired with stronger flavored items. The photo specimens were about 17 inches long (not counting leaves), 1.6 inches diameter and weighed about 8 ounces each. The form shown with a crown of leaves is how it is generally sold, but you'll notice the tip with the young more tender leaves has been removed. It is sold separately as A-Choy. The older leaves still attached are like Romaine leaves but tougher and more bitter, but they do stand up better to cooking. The Chinese do not eat raw greens for reasons you'd probably rather not dwell on.
More on Lettuce & Chicory
Stem lettuce is lightly flavored, so is as much a textural element as
a flavor element. Because of its crispness, even with fairly long cooking,
you will want to use it in fairly thin slices or smallish dice.
The photo to the left shows pickled stem lettuce, very common in Asian markets. It is pleasantly light and lightly crunchy, very easy to eat a whole jar at one sitting. Ingred: lettuce, sugar, soy sauce, water, msg.