Grilled Romaine Salad
I had a delicious grilled romaine salad in the wonderful Casola Dining Room at Schenectady County Community College’s culinary arts program, so I’m borrowing it. Makes about 4 servings, though you can stretch it to serve 6. With assertive flavor, this would be a great salad to serve at Thanksgiving.
Ingredients:
4 heads romaine lettuce, cleaned
Half a fennel bulb, sliced into rings
Half a large sweet onion, peeled and sliced into rings
Medium tomato, cut into eights with the pith removed
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1/2 t Kosher salt
1/4 t ground pepper
1 t dijon mustard
4 T grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, optional
Mise en place for Grilled Romaine Salad. Chop the leafy tops off the romaine heads and add them to the salad later on.
Method: cut the bottom off the romaine heads, but preserve the stem so the leaves stay together. Chop off the frilly leaves at the top; reserve. Grill over a hot fire until each side of each lettuce head picks up some char, turning frequently.
Meanwhile heat a cast iron skillet and add onion and fennel. Toss the tomato pieces in a bit of olive oil, so they won’t stick. Cook until the vegetables pick up a big of char. Reserve and, if using cheese crisps, add one tablespoon per season to the empty pan. Cook until the cheese melts and bubbles, then turn off the heat.
Make the dressing by mixing salt, pepper, balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil.
To make your parmesan crisp, spoon a mound of grated or shredded parm into your hot cast iron skillet and heat til it melts and bubbles up. Let it cool and remove with a spatula.
To serve, chop the romaine and add to a bowl along with reserved tops, onion, fennel and tomatoes. Drizzle over a bit of balsamic dressing then add the parmesan crisp, if using, and serve.
