Once upon a time, Manoa lettuce was a staple of the salad pantry. Island farmers kept us supplied with this green mignonette, a soft green leaf lettuce with a crunchy rib, perfectly sized for that tuna fish or egg salad sandwich.

Halved heads make for a terrific salad, accompanied by vine-ripe tomatoes and avocado slices, topped with some thousand island dressing.

Manoa lettuce is still an island favorite though not as plentiful in island markets. The cooler "winter" months of Hawaii are the ideal time for growing this delicate salad green, though recent rain and wind will certainly have taken their toll on the crop.

Look for compact, heavy heads with curly green leaves. Halve heads and rinse thoroughly; gently pat dry to remove excess water, or remove leaves from their core and dry in a salad spinner.

Use a Manoa lettuce leaf as a wrapper for poke, ceviche, tabbouleh or other concoctions that need a cup. Wrap rice and Korean grilled beef in these lettuce leaves or Chinese minced chicken preparations.

There’s no limit to Manoa lettuce’s place on island tables.

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Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.