By Sara Moulton
When I first heard about folks grilling romaine lettuce, I was pretty skeptical. Lettuce is supposed to be crisp. Grilling would make it soggy. What’s the point?
Now, having tried it myself, I see the point. Grilling the romaine not only really amplifies its flavour, it also adds the same lip-smacking smokiness that grilling produces in any food.
Does the grilling soften up the lettuce, as feared? Indeed it does, but only the wedge’s outside layer. Happily, the core remains crunchy.
Rather than slathering this salad with glops of too-rich mayonnaise, I’ve drizzled it with an herbed buttermilk dressing.
The dressing’s one essential ingredient is garlic, but the other flavourings are up to you. Not a fan of tarragon or scallion? Use dill, chives, basil or oregano instead. `Beef’’ it up by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
3 tbsp finely chopped scallion (white and green parts)
2 tbsp finely chopped tarragon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and black pepper
For the salad:
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 slices bacon
3 slices bread, crusts removed
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 hearts romaine, halved lengthwise, leaving the cores intact
Preheat the grill to medium. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients and whisk well. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Make the salad: In a colander toss the tomatoes with the salt and let drain while you prepare the rest of the salad.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble.
Brush the bread on both sides with some oil and grill the bread until toasted on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a rack, let cool and cut into squares.
Brush the cut sides of the romaine with oil and add the romaine to the grill, cut side down. Grill just until the romaine is lightly charred on the cut side, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the romaine halves to each of four plates, cut side up. Top each portion with one-fourth of the tomatoes, croutons and bacon; drizzle some of the dressing over each portion. – The Canadian Press/AP
Grilled BLT Salad With Buttermilk Dressing