Braised Romaine Lettuce Hearts

Three romaine lettuce hearts per package turn up all the time at my local 99c only Store. That's a lot of salad (see my Cesar Chavez Salad, here) and I seldom use all three hearts, and the guilt of tossing any away is too much. But I found a delicious romaine recipe, from The New York Times Dining & Wine website section, that uses up those extra hearts. I'll be returning to this recipe many times, and if you try it, you will too.

Simple and a breeze to prepare, just slice a head of romaine in half lengthwise, saute in butter or oil for a few minutes, then finish off by braising in vegetable stock for 15 minutes. That's it. Romaine lettuce is slightly bitter, but braising brings out a mild cabbage flavor, and makes for a handsome presentation on your plate.

You can use a whole head of romaine from your local market; just discard any discolored outer leaves. The NYT recipe called for carrots and lemon juice, but I left them out - you can leave them in, of course. Click here to read their version.

This recipe is for my vegetarian friends.

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

• 2-3 romaine lettuce hearts - you can use a large untrimmed head as well.
• 1/2 cup of vegetable stock.
• 2 tbsp. of olive oil or butter.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
Slice romaine lettuce heart (or heads) in half, lengthwise. Trim away any brown leaf edges. Thinly slice off brown stem end (don't cut off too much or the romaine leaves will separate from head). Heat oil or butter in large pot or skillet over medium heat, and saute halved romaine cut-side down. Do not turn over until lightly browned, about 5 - 10 minutes. Then turn over, sauteed side up, and add stock. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes until tender. Add more stock, as needed, if it cooks away. Finish off by uncovering and reducing stock by half.

Cesar Chavez Salad

For this politically charged election year, The 99 Cent Chef throws his whisk into the ring creating a radical salad from out of left field called Cesar Chavez Salad. Named for the great civil rights leader of California farm workers, this salad's politics are green with Salinas, CA. grown romaine lettuce and avocado in a classic Ceasar dressing shot through with spicy jalapeno to match Cesar Chavez's fiery rhetoric.

Blue State foodies will love it -- as for the rest of you, just take out the avocado and jalapeno to serve a traditional Conservative Caesar Salad. The Chef welcomes all parties to his dinner table.
 
Ingredients for Salad

• 1 to 2 hearts of romaine
• 1 large or 2 small avocados sliced
• 2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on salad
• 1 cup 99 cent croutons

To make your own croutons drizzle sourdough bread with 99 cent olive oil blend, chopped garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Broil in oven a couple of minutes until bread is brown - watch carefully, it will burn easily. Slice or tear into bite size pieces - fresh warm croutons are delicious on a salad.Ingredients for Dressing (serves 2)

• 1 tbsp. crushed or chopped garlic
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 2 raw egg yolks* - try discarding whites by draining between fingers; messy but quick.
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon juiced or 2 tablespoons lemon concentrate
• 1/2 cup 99 cent olive oil blend
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. jalapeno chopped, fresh or pickled - optional (some people can't take the heat)

 




Directions for Dressing 
Combine olive oil blend, anchovies, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and pepper; whisk until the mixture is smooth (may need to pull apart anchovies with a fork). Add chopped jalapeno a little at a time while tasting to check for your "heat" tolerance. Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away. 

Assemble the salad: tear the lettuce into a large bowl. Add dressing, Parmesan and croutons. Mix and top with sliced avocado.*RAW EGG WARNING
 
 The Chef suggests caution in consuming raw eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, the Chef recommends you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks and the outer shell.Next up: The 99 Cent Chef throws a curve ball of a new video to foodie baseball fans -- featuring home runs, wild pitches, a Chicago hot dog and a "fowl" ball.