Hearts Of Romaine Recipe

Prepare romaine

Trim and halve the hearts of romaine lengthwise, keeping the cores intact so leaves hold together. Rinse and spin or pat dry thoroughly. Set aside.

To assemble: place 1 halved romaine heart on each of four plates. Top each with 3 grilled shrimp, a generous tablespoon of Texas croutons, a drizzle (about 1 tablespoon) of lemon-poblano dressing, a sprinkle of shaved Parmesan (about 1/4 tablespoon), and a pinch of chopped cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.

Make the shrimp marinade: in a bowl toss shrimp with 2 tsp olive oil, smoked paprika, minced garlic, lime juice, 3 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper until evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C). Brush grates with oil to prevent sticking.

Grill shrimp 2–3 minutes per side, until opaque and lightly charred. Remove and let rest 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to assemble. (If using skewers, thread 3 shrimp per skewer.)

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

In a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add smashed garlic clove and warm 30 seconds to infuse; discard garlic.

Toss bread cubes in the butter mixture, then stir in cayenne, cumin, and 1 tsp kosher salt to coat evenly.

Spread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake 10–12 minutes, stirring once, until crisp and golden. Let cool.

Roast the poblano: place the whole poblano over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a lid to steam 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and roughly chop the flesh.

In a blender or food processor combine roasted poblano, lemon juice, mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), olive oil, honey, minced garlic, cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Purée until smooth. If too thick, add up to 2 tbsp water to reach a drizzling consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, lemon, or honey as needed. Chill at least 15 minutes before using to let flavors meld.