Charred Romaine With Tomatillo Dressing Recipes

CHARRED ROMAINE WITH TOMATILLO DRESSING

Steps:

• Tomatillo Dressing:
• Bring onion, tomatillo, jalapeño, garlic, and 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until onion is very tender, 6-8 minutes; let cool. Drain, reserving cooking liquid.
• Purée onion mixture with avocado and cilantro leaves in a blender. With motor running, gradually add oil and 2 tablespoons cooking liquid and blend until combined.
• Add lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
• Salad and Assembly:
• Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Grill poblano, turning occasionally, until charred and blistered, 6-8 minutes. Let cool. Peel and finely chop.
• Drizzle cut sides of romaine with oil; season with salt. Grill, cut side down, until charred, about 3 minutes. Turn and grill just until warmed through, about 30 seconds.
• Spoon dressing onto plates and top with romaine, charred side up, avocado, onion, and poblano. Drizzle with lime juice; season lightly with salt. Scatter Cotija cheese and chopped cilantro stems over.

CHARRED TOMATILLO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler to high and adjust an oven rack to the top level.
• Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
• Dice the peppers and onion into bite-size pieces (about 1/2 inch).
• Place the tomatillos stem-side down on a sheet pan and place under the broiler. Char until the tops are blackened, about 3 minutes. Flip and broil 3 more minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet on high heat and add the peppers and onions. Spread them out in an even layer and sear in the dry skillet until lightly charred, about 4 minutes.
• Dice the tomatillos into 1/2-inch chunks. Toss all the vegetables into the bowl with the lime dressing. Stir in the diced avocado and top with the cilantro, queso fresco and toasted pepitas.

CHARRED TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Place tomatillos, onion, and jalapeño on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning halfway through, until blistered, 12-15 minutes. Let cool.
• Transfer tomatillo mixture to a blender, add 2 tablespoons lime juice, and pulse until a chunky purée forms. Season with salt and more lime juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Salsa can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; chill.

CHARRED-ROMAINE SALAD

Steps:

• Place radishes and shallot in a small bowl. Bring 2/3 cups of water, 1/2 cup vinegar, the sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over radishes and shallot. Refrigerate.
• Meanwhile, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate while grilling romaine.
• Heat grill to medium-high. Brush romaine halves with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning, until charred but still crisp, about 4 minutes per side. Cut each in half lengthwise. Drizzle dressing over romaine. Drain radish-shallot mixture. Scatter over romaine. Serve immediately.

MEXICAN CHARRED TOMATILLO SALSA

Steps:

• Line a heavy cast iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place over high heat. Arrange tomatillos, chiles de arbol, and garlic in a single layer on top. Grill until chiles are blackened, turning as necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Continue grilling tomatillos and garlic until they are evenly blackened, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Peel garlic and place in a mortar and pestle. Season with salt and pound into a thick paste. Add chiles; pound until smooth. Add as many tomatillos as you can fit in your mortar; pound until chunky. Transfer salsa to a bowl. Repeat with remaining tomatillos, mixing them into the bowl of salsa in batches.

GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Mix olive oil, white sugar, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Place tomatoes in the bag, seal, and shake to coat. Arrange coated tomato halves cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake tomatoes 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven. Remove from heat, and let cool.
• In a blender or food processor, finely chop the shallots. Add vinegar and brown sugar, and process until smooth. Slowly add 1 3/4 cups oil, processing frequently, so as to thicken the mixture.
• Preheat grill for high heat. Brush romaine hearts with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Place romaine hearts on the preheated grill. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until slightly charred but not heated all the way through. Serve warm on salad plates surrounded by tomato pieces and drizzled with the shallot dressing.

GRILLED ROMAINE WITH CHARRED GRAPEFRUIT DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to high heat.
• Lightly grease the cut sides of the grapefruit(s) and leek with nonstick cooking spray. Grill them both, cut-side down, until they are charred and the leeks are tender, about 2 minutes for the grapefruit and 3 minutes for the leeks. Let cool slightly.
• Juice the grapefruit into a large mixing bowl (you should have about 1/2 cup juice). Chop the leeks and add them to the bowl with the grapefruit juice. Add the olive oil, honey and some salt and pepper to the bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve.
• Lightly grease the cut sides of the romaine with nonstick cooking spray. Grill the lettuce, cut-side down, until aromatic and charred, about 30 seconds. Transfer the lettuce to serving plates. Drizzle it with the prepared dressing and garnish with almonds and shaved cheese. Serve immediately.
• Serving Suggestion: Because my husband is one of those "this is good, but I'm still hungry" kind of people, I added some grilled chicken alongside. Do as you please - this would be perfect with a fillet of salmon, pork chop or all on its own.