Serve grilled BLT salad with buttermilk dressing
FOR THIS RECIPE for Grilled BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, the romaine is halved and grilled on just one side and then served as a wedge. This, of course, is how iceberg lettuce is served in the steakhouse (minus the grilling, but plus Russian or blue cheese dressing).
Here the wedge is topped with the fixings of a BLT sandwich, including grilled bread. Does the grilling soften up the lettuce, as feared? Indeed it does, but only the wedge’s outside layer. Happily, the core remains crunchy.
I’ve drizzled it with an herbed buttermilk dressing: two parts buttermilk to one part mayo. Most of the buttermilk to be found in the supermarket these days is low-fat, but I’ve recently discovered a whole-milk version, and if you don’t mind the extra calories, I highly recommend it.
The dressing’s one essential ingredient is garlic, but the other flavourings are up to you. Not a fan of tarragon or scallion? Use dill, chives, basil or oregano instead.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until crisp on both sides, about five minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble when cool.
Brush the bread on both sides with some oil and grill the bread until toasted on both sides, about one to two minutes a side. Transfer to a rack, let cool and cut into squares.
Brush the cut sides of the romaine with oil and add the romaine to the grill, cut side down. Grill just until the romaine is lightly charred on the cut side, about two minutes.
Transfer the romaine halves to each of four plates, cut side up. Top each portion with one-fourth of the tomatoes, croutons and bacon; drizzle some of the dressing over each portion. BLT Salad per serving: 168 calories (68 from fat); 8 grams fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 34 milligrams cholesterol; 546 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 2 g fibre; 2 g sugar; 5 g protein. Buttermilk Dressing per serving: 79 calories (69 from fat); 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 6 mg cholesterol; 160 mg sodium; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g fibre; 1 g sugar; 1 g protein.