“grilled” Romaine Caesar Salad

<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/saladplatedUpclose_alexandraskitchen.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A plate of “grilled” Romaine salad with anchovy dressing. - 1”>

Susan Spungen, renowned food stylist, original Martha Stewart editor, and wildly creative cookie crafter , has a new book out: Open Kitchen: Inspired Food for Casual Gatherings.

In addition to offering elegant but simple recipes, it’s all about Susan’s “get-ahead” and “stress-free” cooking philosophy. To this end, each recipe includes a “timing tips” box with bulleted action items, steps you can do in advance. How nice?

I was immediately struck by this recipe, and Susan’s description: “A big platter of various halved and grilled heads of slightly bitter greens is a sight to behold and a cinch to prepare.”

And while this statement could, perhaps, describe many a dish, after making this one several times now, I don’t think it has ever felt more fitting than here. Friends: where to begin?

Have you ever grilled Romaine? No? Me neither. I have seen, over the years, countless recipes encouraging me to do so, but alas, come grilling season, lettuces never manage to grace the grates.

But I love the idea. I love a good, charred vegetable .

And you know what I love even more? A good charred vegetable without lighting a grill. When I read Susan’s note — “If it’s not grilling season, or you don’t have an easy-to-fire-up gas grill, you can do this under the broiler instead.” — my heart leapt.

Under the broiler, in four minutes total, halved heads of Romaine and radicchio transform: their edges caramelize, their bodies warm through, buckling slightly, releasing juices that bead at the surface.

Out of the broiler, they’re hit with, forgive me, an umami-bomb of a dressing, a whirl of anchovies, garlic, shallots, mustard, capers, lemon, and olive oil. It’s like the best Caesar dressing you’ve ever tasted, but one with texture and body, one that gets trapped in the labyrinth of crevices of the broiled lettuces.

As I eat this salad, I find myself thinking: How is this Romaine? Romaine?! Perhaps unfairly, I’ve never given Romaine much thought; it’s always been the ever-present, reliable lettuce I’ll chop up for summer salads or tuck into a wrap or a sandwich.

But broiled (or grilled!) Romaine — this is something I would serve to company; this is something, in fact, that makes me want to have people over, to design a whole menu around this one gorgeous dish.

Truly, as Susan notes, it’s a cinch to prepare: halving the heads of lettuce takes about a minute. The dressing takes a little bit longer, calling for minced anchovies, garlic, and a shallot, but all in all, it’s a ten-minute job that can be done ahead of time. (If you hate chopping, you could do this in the food processor).

In the summer, Susan tops the grilled lettuces with chopped tomatoes, which sounds fabulous. As tomatoes are out of season, I’ve used olive oil toasted bread crumbs (heaven), toasted pepitas (delicious), and soft-boiled eggs, which so nicely complement the flavors of the dressing and make it more of a meal.

Friends, I have a really hard time stopping once I start eating this salad, and while I want to tell you you can leave out the anchovies if you don’t like them, I think it’s the anchovies that cause me to lose all control. I can’t wait for you to give this one a go.

A Few Notes:

• Parmesan! Did I fail to mention the heads of lettuce broil with a dusting of shaved parmesan? Which melts and crisps and tastes delicious? Sorry. It’s true. They do. If you are avoiding dairy, just leave it out.
• Lettuce! In addition to the Romaine, the recipe calls for dandelion greens, which I could not find, and radicchio or Treviso, which I did find, but which I forbid you to go on a wild goose chase for: just use Romaine. It’s so good. That said, if you can find the other suggested lettuces, they do provide some visual appeal, and they are tasty, too.
• Anchovies! Of course, if you are vegetarian, leave out the anchovies. But if you are someone who thinks you don’t like anchovies, consider leaving them in. They impart such flavor and they mostly disappear.

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients:

Make the dressing : Mince a clove of garlic and a few anchovies. I like to mince them together.

Mince half a shallot. You need about a tablespoon.

Combine the minced shallots, garlic, and anchovies with lemon, mustard, chopped capers, and olive oil.

Halve your lettuce head. Heat your broiler.

Lightly oil a foil-lined baking sheet. Place the halved heads cut-side down. Season with salt and pepper.

Broil for 2 minutes, keeping a close watch.

Flip. Drizzle with more oil. Shave parmesan over top. Season with salt and pepper.

Broil 2 more minutes or until charred to your liking.

Transfer broiled lettuces to a plater.

<img loading=“lazy” src=“https://alexandracooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/romaineplated_alexandraskitchen.jpg" onerror=“this.onerror=null;this.src=‘https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe7F7TRXHtjiKvHb5vS7DmnxvpHiDyoYyYvm1nHB3Qp2_w3BnM6A2eq4v7FYxCC9bfZt3a9vIMtAYEKUiaDQbHMg-ViyGmRIj39MLp0bGFfgfYw1Dc9q_H-T0wiTm3l0Uq42dETrN9eC8aGJ9_IORZsxST1AcLR7np1koOfcc7tnHa4S8Mwz_xD9d0=s16000';" alt=“A platter of freshly “grilled” Romaine and Treviso. - 11”>

Spoon dressing over top. Grate more parmesan over top if you wish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Top with soft-boiled eggs, if you wish.

Susan Spungen’s Open Kitchen: Inspired Food for Casual Gatherings. So good.

Description

From Susan Spungen’s Open Kitchen

Notes:

• In the summer, use the grill, and top with chopped tomatoes.
• If you are vegetarian, leave out the anchovies. If you are not vegetarian, but think you don’t like anchovies, consider giving them a go. They disappear in the dressing, yet provide a ton of flavor.
• Do not go on a wild goose chase for Treviso or radicchio or other chicories: Romaine on its own is delicious.
• As noted in the post, I love serving this with soft-boiled eggs. You can use your Instant Pot or your stovetop. For stovetop: bring a small (or large depending on how many eggs you are cooking) pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Carefully lower the eggs into the pot of boiling water. Adjust heat so water is gently simmering. Cook 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice bath.

For the dressing:

• 1 garlic clove, minced finely or grated on microplane

• 1/2 small shallot, finely minced (about a tablespoon)

• 2 – 4 anchovies, finely minced (about a tablespoon)

• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• pinch salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 heads radicchio or Treviso, see notes above

• 1 to 2 heads Romaine or Little Gem lettuce

• 1 bunch dandelion greens, if you can find it

• olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thinly shaved

• 8 ounces juicy tomatoes, chopped, if in season

1. Heat the broiler. (Or heat a grill to high.)
2. Make the dressing: Combine the garlic, shallot, minced anchovy, capers, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Set aside.
3. Prepare the greens. Halve the Romaine and radicchio (or Treviso) heads, leaving the cores intact. Line a sheet pan with foil. Rub it lightly with oil. (If grilling, toss the greens lightly with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.) Place the halved heads of lettuces cut side down on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer pan to the oven and broil for 2 minutes, or until lightly charred. (If grilling, grill cut-side down for 2 minutes.).
4. Carefully turn the heads. Drizzle with more olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter the cheese over top or, if you haven’t shaved it yet, grate it over top. Return pan to the oven, and broil for another 2 minutes, checking after a minute and a half. (If grilling, grill for 2 more minutes.)
5. Transfer heads to a large platter. Spoon dressing over top to taste. You may not need all of it. Top with tomatoes if using. Grate more parmesan over top, if you wish. Crack more pepper over top, too, if you wish. Top with eggs, if using. Pass extra dressing on the side along with some flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, if you have it.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes

Description

From Susan Spungen’s Open Kitchen

Notes:

• In the summer, use the grill, and top with chopped tomatoes.
• If you are vegetarian, leave out the anchovies. If you are not vegetarian, but think you don’t like anchovies, consider giving them a go. They disappear in the dressing, yet provide a ton of flavor.
• Do not go on a wild goose chase for Treviso or radicchio or other chicories: Romaine on its own is delicious.
• As noted in the post, I love serving this with soft-boiled eggs. You can use your Instant Pot or your stovetop. For stovetop: bring a small (or large depending on how many eggs you are cooking) pot of water to a boil. Prepare an ice bath. Carefully lower the eggs into the pot of boiling water. Adjust heat so water is gently simmering. Cook 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to ice bath.

For the dressing:

• 1 garlic clove, minced finely or grated on microplane

• 1/2 small shallot, finely minced (about a tablespoon)

• 2 - 4 anchovies, finely minced (about a tablespoon)

• 1 tablespoon capers, chopped

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• pinch salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 heads radicchio or Treviso, see notes above

• 1 to 2 heads Romaine or Little Gem lettuce

• 1 bunch dandelion greens, if you can find it

• olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, thinly shaved

• 8 ounces juicy tomatoes, chopped, if in season

1. Heat the broiler. (Or heat a grill to high.)
2. Make the dressing: Combine the garlic, shallot, minced anchovy, capers, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Set aside.
3. Prepare the greens. Halve the Romaine and radicchio (or Treviso) heads, leaving the cores intact. Line a sheet pan with foil. Rub it lightly with oil. (If grilling, toss the greens lightly with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.) Place the halved heads of lettuces cut side down on the sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer pan to the oven and broil for 2 minutes, or until lightly charred. (If grilling, grill cut-side down for 2 minutes.).
4. Carefully turn the heads. Drizzle with more olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter the cheese over top or, if you haven’t shaved it yet, grate it over top. Return pan to the oven, and broil for another 2 minutes, checking after a minute and a half. (If grilling, grill for 2 more minutes.)
5. Transfer heads to a large platter. Spoon dressing over top to taste. You may not need all of it. Top with tomatoes if using. Grate more parmesan over top, if you wish. Crack more pepper over top, too, if you wish. Top with eggs, if using. Pass extra dressing on the side along with some flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, if you have it.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes

Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2020/03/06/grilled-romaine-caesar-salad/

My naan experiments earlier this month sent me on a curry bender. I started with this favorite lentil + kale dal, then made this chickpea + cauliflower number, then sort of combined the two, leaving out the legumes, adding tofu in their place.

The result is a veggie-loaded, super flavorful, Thai-spiced “curry”, a stewy, comforting not-quite-one-pot wonder of a dish. Here, the curry materializes stovetop, while tofu cubes bake briefly in the oven, just long enough to lightly crisp the edges, a measure that ensures the cubes won’t dissolve while simmering, but not so long to render them tough, incapable of absorbing the sauce.

Inspired by this one-pot chicken curry , a dish I learned from Thien Ngo at Fork, this dish is flavored with Thai curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, and coconut milk. I love serving it with rice — this ( no-rinse! ) Instant Pot brown rice is a favorite — and, of course, naan .

If you’ve made any of the curries mentioned above, the process here will feel familiar. This is the formula:

1. Sweat onions (and/or garlic, ginger).
2. Stir in spices + Thai curry paste.
3. Pour in coconut milk + water.
4. Add the substance (lentils, chickpeas, vegetables, tofu, chicken)
5. Simmer till substance is cooked and sauce is flavorful.
6. Fold in greens — spinach, kale, Swiss chard — at the very end.

Vegetable Curry Notes

Thai Curry Paste:

• Using a ready-made curry paste is a serious time saver. It’s a concentrated mix of aromatics, often shallots, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass, along with spices such as coriander, cumin, and cardamom. Using a few tablespoons of such a paste almost renders additional aromatics (such as onions as here) or spices (such as turmeric and curry powder as here) unnecessary (though I do find their inclusion here worthwhile).
• Maesri was Thien’s favorite brand. My Asian market carries it, but I also order it online. I’ve used both red and green curry pastes in this recipe.
• Heat Level: Thai curry paste is spicy. Start with a tablespoon if you are sensitive to heat; add more to taste.

Vegetables:

• Cauliflower: Look for a head of cauliflower with lots of greens still intact — discard only the tough stem and leaves.
• Greens: Folding in something like kale, spinach or Swiss chard at the very end of the cooking process not only gives the curry an extra boost of vegetables, it also provides color and flavor.
• Other vegetables: If you are not yet tired of winter squash season, roasted delicata, Kabocha, or butternut squash would work well here. Sweet potatoes would be nice, too.

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients.

If time permits, drain the tofu. Here’s one way to do it (but place the colander in the sink):

Cut the tofu up into 1-inch cubes, roughly:

Spread on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and transfer to a 425ºF oven for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, slice up an onion.

Then, cook it covered over low heat with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Add spices: turmeric, curry powder, and curry paste (see recipe for notes.)

Cook for a minute or two or until the onions are nicely coated and the spices are beginning to toast and stick to the pan.

Add a can of coconut milk and some water to the pan, and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, chop up a head of cauliflower. Much of the greens can be used — remove the tough stem and the tough outer leaves; use everything else.

Add the cauliflower to the pot along with the tofu, and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is knife tender.

Meanwhile, chop up some kale (spinach or Swiss chard is fine here, too).

Add to the pan and stir gently to incorporate. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with rice — I love this Instant Pot brown rice (no rinsing necessary!) — and/or naan .

Description

This recipe can be seen as a guide. I have made many variations of it over the years:

• lentils + kale
• chickpea + cauliflower
• chicken + spinach

A few notes:

• Spices : To keep things simple, I’m using turmeric and Madras curry powder here. You can, of course, make the effort to toast and crush whole spices such as (such as cumin, coriander, and mustard seeds as here ) but if you aren’t up for it, the combination of curry powder, turmeric and Thai curry paste will be plenty flavorful.

• Curry paste . Maesri is the brand of Thai curry paste I buy at the Asian market. You can buy it online, too: I most often use the green for this recipe, but the red is great, too. Both are spicy. If you are sensitive to heat, start with a tablespoon and adjust the sauce with more at the end.

• Coconut Milk. I’ve gotten in the habit of ordering it online because I love this brand , and I can’t always find it. Plus it’s cheaper.

• a 14 -oz block of firm tofu

• 1 tablespoon olive oil + more for drizzling

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• kosher salt

• 1 – 3 tablespoons red or green Thai curry paste, see notes above

• 2 teaspoons curry powder, such as Madras

• 2 teaspoons turmeric

• 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 1 large head cauliflower

• 2 to 4 ounces kale

• lime for serving, optional

• rice (without the seasonings) or naan , for serving, optional

1. Drain the tofu. If time permits, drain the tofu. This is what I like to do: Remove tofu from its packaging. Place tofu in colander. Place the tub it arrived in on top. (If it didn’t arrive in a tub, simply fold a tea towel around it, and place it in the colander.) Place something heavy, such as 28-oz can plum tomatoes, inside the tub (or on top of the towel). Place colander in sink to drain for 10-15 minutes. See photo above for reference. Heat oven to 425ºF .
2. Cut tofu into cubes, roughly 1-inch. Spread onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, season with salt. Toss gently. Spread out. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes. You’re not trying to get these super crispy, just lightly golden (so they don’t turn to mush in the curry).
3. Meanwhile, get going on the curry. In a large skillet over high heat, add the oil, then the onions. Season with a big pinch of salt. Stir. Cover pan and immediately turn heat down to low. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until onions begin to take on some color.
4. Prep the veg. Cut off tough bottom stem of cauliflower. Remove only the very tough outer leaves. Cut the remaining leaves roughly, and cut the cauliflower into florets. Remove the leaves from the kale stems. Chop the leaves roughly.
5. When the onions are ready, open the lid, allowing the water to drip back into the pan. Add the curry paste and spices and cook for a minute or two, or until the onion is evenly coated in the spices, and the spices are beginning to toast.
6. Add the coconut milk. Fill the empty can with water, and add it to the pan. Fill it again halfway and add to the pan — you need about 2 3/4 cup water. (Note: If you like a brothier curry, add 2 cans full of water (3 cups); if you like a thicker curry, use 2.75 cups water.) Bring to a simmer. Add the brown sugar and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Add the cauliflower and the tofu and simmer at a good pace — turn the heat up if necessary — for about 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Check with a paring knife. (Note: Cauliflower quickly goes from being uncooked/tough to knife tender. Keep in mind the texture of the finished dish ultimately is on the mushy side … there are no crispy elements here. On subsequent days, the texture of the vegetables gets even softer, but I find the flavor gets even better.)
7. Add the kale, and stir to combine. Taste the broth. Add more salt if necessary. Add a squeeze of lime if necessary, too. (Note: Depending on the size/shape of the pan you are using, the broth may evaporate more (or less) quickly. If you find you need more liquid, simply add water by the quarter cup; if it’s too liquidy, simmer it until it thickens slightly and the flavors concentrate.)
8. Serve with rice or naan, if you wish.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Thai