Romaine With Pan Roasted Garlic Dressing Food

ROMAINE AND GORGONZOLA SALAD WITH ROASTED GARLIC DRESSING AND SPICED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss oil with garlic in small baking dish. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake until garlic is golden and tender, about 45 minutes. Cool. Squeeze garlic from skins. Reserve oil.
• Transfer roasted garlic to processor. Add honey, vinegar, cider and mustard and blend well. With processor running, slowly add reserved garlic oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss lettuce with 1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese and enough dressing to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and Spiced Pecans and serve.

GRILLED ROMAINE WITH BALSAMIC DRESSING

Steps:

• For the balsamic dressing: In a blender, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Gorgonzola, basil, garlic, a pinch each of salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons water. Blend until the dressing is creamy and the garlic and basil are finely chopped.
• For the grilled romaine: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat.
• Lightly brush the cut sides of the romaine with the canola oil. Place the romaine on the grill cut-side down and cook until grill marks form and the leaves are slightly charred, 1 to 3 minutes. Arrange on a platter cut-side up.
• Drizzle the romaine with the dressing. Sprinkle with the Gorgonzola and torn basil and serve.

ROMAINE WITH CREAMY GARLIC DRESSING

Steps:

• Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Stir in oregano, if using; season with salt and pepper.
• Remove dark-green outer leaves from each head of romaine, leaving just the paler-green hearts. (Reserve outer leaves for another use.) Halve hearts lengthwise. To serve, drizzle romaine with dressing.

ROASTED GARLIC DRESSING

Steps:

• In an unoiled, small heavy skillet, roast the unpeeled garlic cloves on medium heat, turning them occasionally; cook the garlic for about 10-15 minutes, until it's soft and covered with dark spots.
• Test for doneness by pressing a clove with a spoon- if you see small bubbles of juice bursting through the skin, remove them from the skillet.
• When cool enough to handle, peel the cloves.
• In a blender or food processor, puree the garlic with the oil, vinegar, water, salt, pepper and mustard until smooth.
• covered and refrigerated, this dressing will keep for several weeks.

ROMAINE SALAD WITH CREAMY GARLIC DRESSING

Steps:

• Tear lettuce into bite-size pieces, you should have about 12 cups.
• Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
• Combine garlic and salt in a small bowl and mash with the back of a spoon into a paste, or (and this is what I do), mash with a mortar and pestle and transfer to a bowl.
• Mix garlic paste with lime juice, add egg* and beat until foamy.
• Stir in mayo and worcestershire.
• This can be made ahead, just cover and refrigerate.
• Just before serving, peel, pit and dice avocado.
• In a large salad bowl, combine avocado, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions and croutons.
• Stir dressing and pour over salad then toss until well mixed.
• *If you are pregnant or nursing, or have a compromised immune system you may want to consider using a purchased pasteurized egg product.