Grilled Romaine Salad With Blue Cheese

I am being overwhelmed, again, with a bulging pantry and refrigerator.  I have decided to have my own personal version of Chopped and just dive in with a hodgepodge of ingredients and pray for the best.  I figured I would make this salad (as I am really into grilled romaine right now) and throw together something from stuff lying around for an entree.  The salad was amazing.  I think the best grilled romaine salad so far.  My husband and son agree.  What made this one better?  Well the dressing was awesome.  A great dressing to have around period.  I also liked that the salad included a 'garnish' of cool uncooked romaine chopped finely over the top.  Really the whole thing was perfection.  Just a note on the side, my chopped dish, Cornbread Dressing with Sausage and Collard Greens was a super smash too!  I am so happy and proud, but since I know tomorrow's dish may be a dismal failure, I am separating the posts into two.  I will do the dressing post tomorrow and hope tomorrow's dinner doesn't get me "chopped". ;) Oh and by the way, I consider this a meatless dish even though the dressing includes anchovies, so it is not vegetarian.



Grilled Romaine Salad With Blue Cheese

Dressing
 6 ea garlic,peeled
1 t  kosher salt
1 T  fresh lemon juice
1 t  capers
1 T  sherry vinegar
1 T  Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t  hot sauce (recommended Tabasco)
6    anchovy fillets and 1/2 teaspoon of their oil
1/2    to 3/4 cup olive oil,plus more for grilling the romaine
20    basil leaves,washed and dried
1 c  crumbled blue cheese,for garnish
Romaine
3    romaine hearts,halved lengthwise, washed and  dried
Kosher salt
1    lemon,juiced
Preheat the grill to medium.
In the blender, combine the garlic, salt, lemon juice, capers and
vinegar. Blend until smooth. Add the Worcestershire, hot sauce,
anchovies and 1/2 cup of olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste for
seasoning. Add the remaining olive oil, if needed. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss 4 of the romaine halves in a little olive oil and
season them with salt. Put them in a single layer on the grill and cook
for 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for 3 additional minutes.
The romaine should feel slightly warm and tender. Transfer the halves
to a large platter. Spoon a little dressing on each. On a flat surface,
finely chop the rest of the romaine and add it to a medium bowl. Add
the remaining vinaigrette, a touch of lemon juice and the basil leaves.
Toss to coat the romaine.
Top the grilled romaine with some of the chopped, dressed romaine.
Garnish with crumbled blue cheese and serve immediately.