June 28, 2016
Hi Everyone!
Anyone getting tired of salad yet?
We are blessed with all these wonderful greens at the beginning of each CSA season, and sometimes we need a little inspiration and variety. So, here’s a nice recipe that utilizes some of the lettuce we’ve been getting, and uses it in a different way.
BRAISED LETTUCE ON ANCHOVY TOAST
1 large head romaine lettuce — or two smaller ones (or any other kind of head lettuce)
18 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
½ garlic clove, pounded to a paste with a little bit of salt
7 TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
6 pieces rustic bread, about 3 inches by 2 inches, sliced about 1/2-inch thick
¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Zest of half a lemon
- Remove the outer leaves from the lettuce, saving them for soup. Trim the stem, leaving it intact and leaves connected. Cut the head into 6 thin wedges, each wedge connected at the core/stem.
- Make anchovy butter by pounding the anchovies to a paste with the garlic paste, then mashing in 4 tablespoons butter. Combine well.
- Toast the bread.
- Warm a pan large enough to fit all of the lettuce wedges. Add remaining butter. Once it has melted, add the stock, and fit the lettuce wedges closely into the pan in a single layer. Salt lightly. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, and turn all the wedges to another side. Salt again, and scatter with lemon zest.
- Continue to cook, turning once or twice more, until the liquid in the pan is absorbed and the lettuce is very wilted on the leaf end and tender on the stem end. Turn off heat.
- In the pan or on a cutting board, cut each wedge once or twice horizontally.
- Spread each piece of toast thickly with anchovy butter, then top with the sections of a wedge of lettuce. Sprinkle each lightly with salt again, if desired. Serve hot.
Oh, yum! If you think you hate anchovies, you should try this. You might be very surprised.
HELPFUL HINT: If anchovies are too salty for you, they an be rinsed and patted dry before you use them in this recipe.
I hope you enjoy this dish. It may change the way you look at lettuce forever. Ditto anchovies!
Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi