Grilled Romaine Salad with Asparagus, Romesco and Farm Egg Recipe

Recipe created by Jamie Bissonnette
Oprah.com | June 04, 2012

It's easy to overlook a bowl full of wilted greens at a barbecue where there are so many other dishes vying for your attention. Not if you sear the romaine, though, as Jamie Bissonnette of the Boston restaurant Coppa does.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

Salad:

1 head romaine lettuce
6 jumbo asparagus spears
2 eggs
1/4 cup chickweed, claytonia or baby pea greens
2 Tbsp. marcona almonds, roasted and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. pickled red onions (or 1 Tbsp. minced red onion)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
3 Tbsp. Romesco (recipe below)

Romesco:

1 Spanish onion, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 dried chilis (Cascabel, preferably), seeds intact
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup marcona almonds, toasted
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
Pepper, to taste

Directions

Make romesco: Cook onions in 1 cup olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook until tender. Add peppers, and cover with a lid, cooking until completely soft. Add tomatoes and stew for 45 minutes on low heat, covered with a lid. Add almonds, cook 10 minutes. Puree in blender, adding the rest of the olive oil, the vinegar and pepper to taste. (You can make the romesco ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.)

Cut the romaine in half lengthwise, and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Grill the romaine until lightly charred, but still raw in the interior.

Peel the asparagus from the tip to the base, saving the peels. Blanche the peels in salted boiling water until tender, and shock in an ice bath. Place peels in a blender with 4 ice cubes and a dash of salt and pepper, blending on high until smooth, then reserve.

Season the asparagus stalks with salt, pepper and olive oil and grill until tender.

Fry eggs sunny side up in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut the core from the romaine, and slice the asparagus. Arrange on a plate with the red onions and almonds. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp. of romesco (reserve the rest for another use; it makes a great dip) over the vegetables and on the plate. Top with fried eggs.

More Summer Grilling Recipes

Printed from Oprah.com on Saturday, May 18, 2013