Sauteed and Stir-Fried

• High heat from an outdoor grill or from a skillet turns study lettuces such as romaine or iceberg into crisp-tender, flavorful side dishes. For romaine, cut heads in half; drizzle them with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper; and cook them for about 4 minutes on each side until they are slightly charred. Serve them with cut grape tomatoes and a splash of vinegar. Saute chopped iceberg lettuce and cut grape tomatoes in the same way to serve over rice.

Braised and Simmered

• Cooked with butter, chicken stock, salt and pepper; lettuce and tomatoes, along with other vegetables -- such as scallions and peas -- create a side dish that pairs well with fish or chicken. Use either fresh or dried tomatoes and garnish the dish with chopped mint. Use the same ingredients in Asian-inspired soups and add minced garlic, shredded chicken, lime juice, chopped basil or mint and a splash of fish sauce and rice vinegar.

Lettuce Wraps and Cups

• Use large leaves from bibb, romaine or tangy radicchio as wraps and cups for fillings with either cut fresh tomatoes or reconstituted dried tomatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces. Along with the tomatoes, add ground beef or chicken with Thai flavors of basil, chili peppers, fish sauce, minced garlic and noodles dressed with a light peanut sauce. Or, fill the lettuce cups with ground meat and beans spiced with cumin and salsa. For all-American fillings, use barbecued chicken and sliced avocado.

LTs and BLTs

• The classic dish to cook using lettuce and tomatoes, preferably homegrown or heirloom, remains a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, dressed with mayonnaise, which appeared fist appeared in print, in cookbook form, in 1920. For a vegan alternative, make a lettuce and tomato sandwich, another American classic. To elevate the sandwiches to new heights, transform them into LBLATs or CBLATs with either lobster or crab and avocado slices.