Very simple but satisfying. A little char, cool bits contrasting with warm bits, crunchy and silky. The garlic dressing has the perfume and taste of garlic, but none of the heat. The “Grilled or Creamy” refers to the dressing having two iterations; one where you grill the garlic, the other where you blanch it briefly, then add thick yogurt to the pureé.
INGREDIENTS:
6-8 cups Little Gem Lettuce, heads intact, washed, stem end trimmed until clean and white
1 cup Grilled Green Garlic Vinaigrette or Creamy Green Garlic Dressing (see recipes)
½ cup shelled, dry roasted, lightly salted pistachios, lightly chopped/cracked
Large flake salt such as Maldon, and pepper to taste
Optional-1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled and chilled
Olive oil as needed
METHOD:
Heat your grill.
If the lettuce heads are more than 3-inches across, quarter them through the stem, leaving the stem intact so the leaves stay together. If they are 3-inches or less, halve them. Place in a large bowl, then pour some olive oil into your hands over the bowl, and rub each lettuce wedge well with oil. Use oil as needed, but you just want to lightly but evenly coat the wedges, getting some oil in between the leaves. When done, leave in bowl and refrigerate until ready to grill.
Have plates and other ingredients ready and close at hand.
When grill is hot and grate has been scraped, use tongs to place the lettuce wedges onto the grill. Grill each side just long enough to get grill marks on the faces of the cut surfaces and a little char on the edges. Distribute evenly amongst four plates or spread out flat on a platter in a single layer.
Drizzle dressing all over the wedges, then scatter with pistachios. If using, spread the cheese over the plates, then season with pepper then salt.
These are best served right away.
Chef’s Notes: If you wish, putting the dressing in a squeeze bottle makes even distribution easier and quicker. It adds a little restaurant flair to the plate. This salad is a good side for simple grilled items like steaks, chicken, Portobello mushrooms, and dense fish like sword or tuna, or pork chops. Omit the pistachios for steaks, and omit the blue cheese for fish or chicken. You could substitute avocado for the blue cheese with great results. Turn this into a main course salad by adding carrot shreds, roasted beets, and grilled chicken, shrimp, or thin slices of grilled beef.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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