Green leaf heaven

I've got two words for you: grilled lettuce. It may sound strange, but trust me, lettuce never tasted so good. I am now using it as a distraction from the mess that has become my life as moving day comes closer. In a room full of extra-large suite cases waiting to be filled and memories waiting to be forgotten I browsed through a plethora of caesar salad recipes today, further fueling my addiction to the combination of garlic, anchovies and a squeeze of lemon juice.

I have finally perfected the dressing after attempting it for nearly two years, the secret being that the anchovies and garlic should be mashed into a paste with a mortar and pestle before the other ingredients are added. This results in a creamy, smooth texture as opposed to a lumpier one when the garlic and anchovies are only chopped into pieces. I am also a fan of the coddled egg, I believe it gives the dressing a more authentic taste, unlike that of mayonnaise.

Since I had the dressing down I was looking for a creative take on the basic salad. I found it on the Food52 website, a Fully Grilled Caesar Salad. The recipe calls for lightly-grilled lettuce, this is achieved by cutting a heart of romaine lettuce in half, brushing the cut side with olive oil and sprinkling over salt and pepper and then grilling it for about two minutes, leaving one side of the lettuce slightly charred and the other crisp. Pretty much it's green leaf heaven.

Although I took the lettuce idea from the recipe, I kept the rest my own, using my own dressing recipe and adding some grilled chicken into the equation, which isn't necessary but turns the salad into a full meal. As much as I hate to use the word, this recipe is yummy with a capital Y.

Grilled Lettuce Caesar Salad

Serves 2 as a meal

3 anchovy fillets

1 clove of garlic, peeled, plus extra for the bread

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1-1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large egg, coddled

1 large romaine heart, cut in half length wise

1/2 a ciabatta, cut into 1 inch slices

2 skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Pound the anchovies and garlic clove in a mortar and pestel until they form a smooth paste.

2. Add in the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and stir, then quickly mix in the coddled egg. Set aside.

3. Brush the cut sides of the romaine with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the grill or a grilling pan over the stove and set the romaine on top, cut sides down. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the cut sides have charred but are not wilted.

4. As the romaine cooks rub the bread slices with a peeled garlic clove and brush over a layer of olive oil. Remove the lettuce and grill the bread until golden brown.

5. Place each half of the romaine on a plate with the bread.

6. Grill the chicken breasts until cooked thoroughly, but not dry.

7. Once finished remove and cut into strips.

8. Add the chicken to the plates of romaine and drizzle over the dressing, finishing with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.

9. Serve as a meal or cut the recipe in half for a side dish.

A Cuban night at home

I'm feeling pretty guilty right now, I haven't written a word all week, and worse yet I have barely cooked a thing. Since the sun made its appearance last week it's been impossible to stay inside. I've been sucked in by the outside world, one I have been avoiding all winter. From cafes to parks, even writing outside on my balcony (as I am doing right now) I can't get enough. I have been quite a busy bee and due to my constant activity I have been struck down with a cold, a sign that I need to sit down and give sometime to my blog.

After two wonderful restaurant dinners this week, yes I have been spoiled, I was craving something home cooked. I wasn't feeling well on Wednesday so I took it as the perfect opportunity to stay at home and mess up the kitchen a bit. Missing good Cuban food, I used to work at a Cuban restaurant and became accustomed to nightly Cuban dinners, I flipped through my recipe book. Mariscada, a seafood stew in tomato broth, is by far my favorite Cuban dish, I cook it at every one out of three dinner parties I have, but it wasn't what I was looking for this particular day. I needed some red meat to boast my energy and give me some protein, at first I had my mind set on Churrasco, steak, with mojo, a lime and garlic sauce, but then I saw it, my sister's favorite, Ropa Vieja. The dish, literally meaning "old clothes," consists of well-cooked, shredded beef, tomato sauce and sofrito, a typical Cuban concoction. It was just right, paired with rice and fried plantains, it was bound to hit the spot.

Unfortunately the idea came to me at 9pm, meaning I didn't actually start cooking until 10pm and considering Ropa Vieja has to cook for at least one hour and the preparation takes about half an hour, I didn't eat dinner until almost midnight. After preparing the sofrito and chopping endless amounts of green peppers and garlic, the dish came together, and I let it simmer as I fried plantains and steamed white rice. By the time it was done I really wasn't feeling well and was yearning for my bed, so I ate a small dish and kept the rest in the fridge. The best thing about Ropa Vieja is it tastes even better the next day, the cumin and peppers release their full flavors, resulting in a full bodied dish. I have taken advantage of this, and after eating leftovers last night, I may just be able to get another night out of it.

Cuban Ropa Vieja

Adapted from a recipe off the website www.atasteofcuba.com

Serves 6

2 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut in strips
5 tablespoons oil
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic or 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
6 ounces sofrito

Sofrito

21 cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
8 to 10 garlic cloves, chopped
1 or 2 bay leaves
touch of ground cumin (I like to use a bit more)
touch of dried oregano
3/4 cup Sherry, or to taste
4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste (optional)

For sofrito:

1. Sautee tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cumin and oregano in oil slowly until all vegetables are limp. 2. Add Sherry and let simmer.

3. Add salt carefully, you may not need it at all.

For Ropa Vieja:

1.Heat 3 tbsp. oil in skillet on medium, brown meat on all sides and then remove from skillet.

2. Add remaining oil to skillet, stir in garlic, onion and green pepper and cook until translucent.

3. Stir in black pepper, browned meat, tomato sauce, water and sofrito.

4. Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 1-2 hours.

5. Serve on top of rice.