Tired of bringing the same boring dish to potlucks and holiday BBQ’s? I’m on a mission to put a stop to those mundane dishes and I have found just the recipe for you.
Grilled Romaine….OMG! No kidding….you haven’t lived till you’ve tried this! I got the inspiration from my friend, Pamela Salzman’s yummy grilled vegetable salad. The grill lends a “meaty” flavor to all the vegetables that easily transitions the dish from salad to a hearty side dish, perfect for summer months.
This holiday weekend is a perfect time to try it out for your own family and friends. I did and I found myself not only gobbling up my portion, but my daughter and fiancée’s too!
Please note, corn and zucchini are two of the most genetically modified foods. If you cannot find fresh organic corn (it’s hard to find!), Whole Foods carries a delicious organic charred corn in the frozen food section, that you can simply warm up.
Grilled Vegetable Salad
Adapted from Pamela Salzman
Serves 4
Dressing:
2 T fresh lime juice
2 T organic unseasoned rice vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
2 organic, raw honey
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 T sea salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup, organic, un-refined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
Ingredients:
2 full heads romaine, trimmed, cleaned and cut in half
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 large Japanese eggplant, diced into cubes
2 medium organic zucchini, diced into cubes
6-8 button mushrooms, on skewers
1 avocado, diced
½ cup organic charred corn
2 bunches scallions, cut into halves
sprinkle with organic feta or goat cheese (optional)
Directions:
Preheat grill over medium high heat, or heat a grill pan. While grill is warming up, place all dressing ingredients into a bowl and whisk. Add olive oil in slowly, whisking continuously. To emulsify Lightly brush all vegetables, including the romaine (on the flat cut side) with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season. Grill vegetables according to done-ness, starting with asparagus and eggplant first. Be careful not to overcook. Place romaine on the grill last, brush with dressing and grill cut (flat) side down (be sure to brush generously with olive oil). Grill 1-2 minutes, giving a subtle char. Allow vegetables to cool, pull mushrooms off skewers, and chop all vegetables into bit size chunks. Place romaine on a large platter, grill side up. Drizzle with ½ of the remaining dressing. Drizzle the chopped vegetables with remaining dressing and arrange on top of the lettuce. Dress the avocado cubes with any remaining dressing and arrange on top.
