How to grow it:
Also known as "lambs' lettuce" or "mache", corn salad is a cute little green which pops up in winter.
This plant is a real asset to the winter garden, as it self-seeds readily and is a nice surprise when things are looking bare.
Corn salad is not related to sweetcorn - the name refers to the plant growing like a weed in wheat fields.
These plants don't need any special care, they stay a nice compact size and are relatively untroubled by pests.
All in all, it's an ideal no-fuss winter green, with three times as much Vitamin C as lettuce. See kingsseeds.co.nz for this and other unusual winter greens.
What to cook with it:
Incorporate corn salad into a midwinter salad - the sharper-tasting leaf suits a simple blend of walnuts, thinly sliced pear, crumbled blue cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.