EllenFork

Just Grill It

When life hands you lemons, grill them. They'll most likely be delicious! What is it about those magnificent deposits of char and carcinogens that make food taste oh-so-good? No matter what you throw on the grill, it's going to come out tasting great. Unless you do something really wrong, like forget to turn it on, the grill is the component that makes Spring and Summer so delicious.

Squash, corn, peppers, steak, chicken, shrimp, lobsters, mushrooms, WHATEVER! However, until tonight there is one thing that had never graced the grate of my grill- lettuce. Weird, right? Wrong. Just like any fibrous, water-filled plant matter, lettuce is great on the grill. Just oil it up, sprinkle with salt and pep and get those grill marks on there. It's amazing!

Now, I don't have any pictures of today's recipe for two reasons. First, I was too hungry and busy preparing the food to take a photo and second, I sliced my finger with a really large Shun Chef's knife that had just been sharpened. Sooo things got a little hairy. But once the bleeding stopped, they got delicious. So, before I forget how I made the dressing, I will reveal the recipe. The dressing is an original that I dreamed up with ingredients I had on hand. Yum!

Grilled Romaine with Garlic-Parmesan Dressing

1 Head Romaine Lettuce, quartered
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper

Juice of 1/2 large lemon
Pinch Kosher Salt
Ground pepper to taste
1 Head of Garlic, roasted
1/4 c finely grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 c olive oil
1 dollop sour cream

First, wash and dry the Romaine. Slide the head of lettuce in quarters, lengthwise. Coat with olive oil, salt and pep. Make sure you get the outside of the leaves, or else they will char more than you probably like. Grill lettuce over medium heat, chopped side down until char marks appear. Flip and repeat on other side. Keep an eye on it, cooking time varies based on heat and size of lettuce.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the top off a head of garlic. Drizzle with oil and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until totally tender. You should be able to easily squeeze the garlic out of the skin.

Combine lemon juice, garlic salt, pepper, and cheese, using a fork to mash up the garlic. I totally made up the measurements in this recipe, but at this point the mixture should be pretty thick. Now, whisk in olive oil to create more of a "salad dressing consistency". Last, stir in a dollop of sour cream to make it extra creamy and delicious. Just keep tasting and adding until it tastes "right". There is no way to mess this up, every ingredient is completely yummy on their own.

Slather this all over the Romaine. Eat it up!

Enjoy your grilled greens, folks!

A Fresh Haul (and a Happy Salad)

Yesterday I woke up in a world covered with a dusting of snow and the promise of more (lots more!) to come. And yet, despite the chill and the barren view of leafless trees and grey skies from the window, I decided it was a farmer's market kind of morning. Well, I think every morning is a farmer's market morning but only on Sunday am I allowed the privilege of going.

So I bundled up and set off towards Dupont Circle. There was a cheerful hustle and bustle as market-goers rifled through bins of beets, turnips, apples and winter greens. The mushroom lady was there in her a cave of a tent filled with mysterious fungi. The flower sellers were there with big buckets of lilies with unopened buds, and Ranunculus, which look like wild, romantic peonies. The smell of mulled cider wafted through the crowd. The folks from Eco-Friendly were there, smiling in the cold and gently explaining the benefits of humanely raised, organic meats to customers. I love Eco-Friendly Foods for their truly friendly attitudes and their incredibly tasty meats. Every visit yields some great meat, good cooking suggestions and a feeling of satisfaction.

I usually do not approach this booth with a recipe in mind, instead I choose based on the cuts available. I've ended up with many varieties of sausage, spare ribs, beef shanks osso-bucco style, pork loin and other treats. Once I've chosen something, I fill in the gaps from the vegetable stands.

On yesterday's trip, I was filling in the gaps around a duck breast procured earlier from The Organic Butcher of Mclean, an adorable little spot in Mclean, Va. In the end I left the market with fresh brown eggs, french breakfast radishes, half a loaf of Spelt, sweet potatoes, erba stella, pork sausages, and half a young chicken, frozen, not to mention the empanada and cider my young man and I consumed while walking around. Not a bad haul, but in the end not the gap fillers I meant to snag.

Sunday dinner ended up being duck breast and salad. Saving the duck breast for later, I'd like to share this easy salad and dressing with you. I borrowed  from this Food + Wine recipe. I changed a few things based on the contents of my pantry, and the fact that I looooove frisée, that bitter, thorny looking cousin of Endive.

Frisée Salad with Garlic-Anchovy Dressing

3-4 big handfuls of Frisée (I made this for two people, but you know how much lettuce you need)
6 French Breakfast Radishes, sliced
2 Ribs celery, chopped
1/2 Seedless cucumber, cut lengthwise then sliced

Toss all veggies together in a bowl.

Dressing:
4-5 Anchovy fillets, minced
1/4 good olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, combine oil, anchovies and garlic over moderate to low heat. Stir occasionally until the garlic is golden brown, making sure not to burn it. Add lemon juice and pepper and pour over the vegetables. Serve immediately.

The nutty, salty flavor of the anchovies mixes in so nicely with the spiciness of the garlic, creating a complex flavor. The lemon adds a little bit of bite. And combined with the crunchiness of the vegetables, it ends up being a very light and flavorful salad. It got rave reviews from my dining companion, who gobbled it all up and asked for more. This might be my new favorite salad...and yours, too!