Grilled Romaine Salad

Photo: flickr user naotakem

Ingredients

1 medium Anaheim chili, roasted, peeled and seeded (see note)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted cashews

1 lrg clove garlic, peeled

3 or 4 grinds of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white champagne vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons grated cotija cheese or mild feta

1 small bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons water

Salad: A half head romaine lettuce per person

Olive oil for brushing

Preparation

Coarsely chopped dry-roasted cashews for garnish

To make dressing: In a blender or food processor, place chili, cashews, garlic, black pepper, salt, olive oil, vinegar and cotija cheese. Blend 10 seconds, then add cilantro in batches until dressing is smooth.

In a deep bowl, mix mayonnaise and water with a wire whip. Add blender ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in a glass jar and refrigerate. Dressing keeps about 3 days.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

To make salad: Trim outer leaves from romaine heads. Take a 1 inch slice off the top, and trim bottoms, leaving the core intact. Rinse lightly and let drip-dry onto paper towels. Slice in half lengthwise.

When completely dry, brush cut side very lightly with olive oil. Watching carefully, brown quickly over a hot grill fire, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook as lettuce will become warm and limp.

Set wedges cut-side up on dinner plates. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with cashews and serve.

Note: To roast peppers, grill them 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until lightly charred. Place in a bag or covered bowl for about 10 minutes. Skin should peel right off. Wear gloves when handling fresh, canned, dried or pickled chilies; the oils can cause a burning sensation on your skin.