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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Grilled Romaine Salad

Grilled Romaine Salad - and excellent side dish come spring and summer.  Slice of Southern


Here's my second post for great Father's Day dishes!

Don't you just love Father's Day?  How come it seems that for Mother's Day we have the breakfast/brunch or go out to a restaurant for a nice lunch or dinner...but for Father's Day it usually revolves around GRILLING!?

Big manly grilling...

What better way to celebrate the solid, strong, steady as a rock, men in our lives than by firing up the GRILL!

This is a great side dish.  Not some wimpy little side dish, but a grilled, bold salad!

We're making Grilled Romaine Salad.

Yes, I said grilled...grilled salad...grilled romaine salad!

Have you ever grilled lettuce?  No?

Well, now you just have to try this recipe...it's the bomb! 

The grilled lettuce has a slightly smokey, slightly charred flavor that lends another layer to the salad.  It's just plain excellent, and DAD will LOVE IT!

This is really simple to prepare.  Romaine is an especially good lettuce to grill with because it will stand up to the heat well.  So, prepare your lettuce. Take off the outer leaves of the romaine head and discarding them.  Then separate the remaining leaves.  Drizzle with olive oil.


Grilled Romaine Salad - and excellent side dish come spring and summer.  Slice of Southern

On a heated grill over medium heat place the leaves oil side down on the grill and cook about 2-3 minutes on each side.  Lettuce should char a little and will wilt some.  Not to worry, this is what you want!

Meanwhile cut your cherry tomatoes in half, and cube your avocado.  Place in a bowl.




Grilled Romaine Salad - and excellent side dish come spring and summer.  Slice of Southern

Now once the lettuce is done you can do as I did and tear them up, place them in the bowl with the tomatoes and avocado and toss with a light vinaigrette.
OR
You can leave the leaves whole and distribute them on individual plates, topping with the tomatoes and avocado.  Sprinkle some vinaigrette over the salad.


Grilled Romaine Salad - and excellent side dish come spring and summer.  Slice of Southern

You want to use a light vinaigrette so it doesn't overpower the lettuce flavors.  Allow the lettuce and the flavors of salad really shine through in this salad but dressing it lightly...no heavy, creamy dressing here!!!

Enjoy this wonderful salad, and let me know what you think!


Grilled Romaine Salad

Serves 6 - 8 as a side dish

Ingredients:
  
1 head of romaine lettuce 
Olive oil for drizzling 
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved 
1 avocado, cubed
Light Balsamic Vinaigrette  or Oil and Vinegar

Directions:

Prepare grill to a medium heat fire. Brush and oil the grill grate.
Remove outer layers of lettuce.  Separate remaining lettuce leaves from the base.  Drizzle one side of each half with a little olive oil.

Place the romaine halves, oil side down, on the grill directly over the fire.  Cook until the leaves develop a little char and have begun to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the lettuce over and cook for about 2 minutes more. You want the lettuce to be a little wilted but still hold its shape.

At this point we cut up the leave and placed in a bowl.  You can leave them intact if you wish and place them on individual plates.  Add tomatoes and avocado.  Add some vinaigrette and toss.  Serve immediately.

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