Hearts Of Romaine With Roquefort Toasted Pecans Recipes

HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH CREAMY DRESSING

Steps:

• Remove the outer darker green leaves from: 2 heads of romaine lettuce.
• Cut off the stem end and separate the leaves. Wash them thoroughly and spin-dry in batches.
• To make the dressing, stir together in a large bowl: 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, Grated zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
• Taste, and adjust as needed. Whisk in: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons heavy cream.
• Taste for salt and acid and adjust if needed. Gently toss the lettuce with the dressing, making sure each leaf is evenly coated.
• A couple of salt-packed anchovies, rinsed, filleted, and chopped, are a great addition to the dressing.
• Some or all of the following herbs are delicious chopped and scattered over the salad: basil, chervil, chives, and tarragon.
• This dressing is equally suitable for butter or Bibb lettuces and for frisée and radicchio.

HEARTS OF ROMAINE SALAD WITH APPLE, RED ONION, AND CIDER VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk first 8 ingredients in small bowl for dressing. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate. Rewhisk before using.)
• Place sliced onion in medium bowl. Cover with cold water; let stand 30 minutes. Drain well. Place 1/3 cup dressing in another medium bowl. Add apples; toss to coat.
• Trim off tips of romaine halves, leaving 5-inch lengths. Cut each romaine half lengthwise into 3 wedges. Fan wedges on large platter. Top with red onion slices. Drizzle salad with dressing, then sprinkle with apples and pecans.

HEARTS OF ROMAINE WITH BLUE CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay the bacon strips on a roasting rack and bake in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. (To make bacon curls: Wrap each slice of raw bacon around a metal skewer in a barber-pole fashion and lay the skewers on the roasting rack.) Pat dry with a paper towel. When cool enough to handle, break into pieces or in half, if using curls.
• Put the egg in a small saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and remove from the heat. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain the egg and roll it between your palm and the counter to crack the shell, then peel under cool running water. Rub the egg through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
• Remove the large outer leaves from the romaine hearts and rinse. Chop these leaves into bite-size pieces and spin dry. (Use an extremely sharp knife to minimize bruising the edges.) Halve the hearts through the cores to make 4 wedges. Rinse under cold running water and shake to air dry.
• Divide the wedges among 4 plates. Mound some of the chopped romaine on top and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon about 1/4 cup of Blue Cheese Dressing over each salad and top with some of the sieved egg and bacon. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.
• Pulse the mayonnaise, blue cheese, buttermilk, shallot, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and celery seeds in a food processor to make a chunky but pourable sauce. Stir in the parsley and season with plenty of pepper. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

ROMAINE WITH APPLE, PECANS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mash cheese with a fork. Add vinegar, mustard, juice and yogurt; stir to combine thoroughly.
• In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients. Toss with 1/2 cup Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing.