Grilled Romaine Hearts with Rustic Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Grilling romaine lettuce is a revelation—in only 3 minutes, the hearts get beautifully browned and the flavor turns sweeter and interesting. Make the tangy cherry tomato vinaigrette up to an hour ahead, but don’t grill the romaine until just before serving, as it tends to lose volume as it sits. …
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Grilling romaine lettuce is a revelation—in only 3 minutes, the hearts get beautifully browned and the flavor turns sweeter and interesting. Make the tangy cherry tomato vinaigrette up to an hour ahead, but don’t grill the romaine until just before serving, as it tends to lose volume as it sits.
Ingredients
- 10 oz. small, colorful cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (2 cups)
- 3 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
- 3 Tbs. finely chopped and drained oil-packed, sundried tomatoes
- 2 Tbs. finely sliced fresh basil leaves, plus 12 to 16 small, whole leaves for garnish
- 2 tsp. drained capers, coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp. fresh orange juice
- 1⁄2 tsp. minced garlic
- 4 romaine hearts, halved and outer leaves trimmed, or 8 whole baby romaine heads
Preparation
Heat gas grill to medium-high. (If using grill topper, put it directly on grill grate while heating.)
Combine cherry tomatoes, 3 Tbs. oil, sundried tomatoes, sliced basil, capers, vinegar, orange juice, and garlic in large bowl, and season with 1⁄4 tsp. salt, if desired. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Brush romaine hearts with remaining 2 tsp. oil, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Arrange cut-side down directly on grill grates or grill topper. Cook 2 minutes, or until golden and marked. Flip, and cook 1 minute more. (Don’t be tempted to cook longer; they continue cooking off grill.)
Arrange hearts on serving platter. Spoon tomato vinaigrette across hearts, and garnish with basil leaves.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size serves 8
- Calories 75
- Carbohydrate Content 4 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 7 g
- Fiber Content 1 g
- Protein Content 1 g
- Saturated Fat Content 0.5 g
- Sodium Content 93 mg
- Sugar Content 2 g