Salads many times get a bad rap from guys. They think they are not filling and certainly could not be a whole meal…Well then they have never had my salad. Here is my newest most favorite salad around…Louie’s BLTT. It is heaven! I find myself craving it all the time. So, as a way to bring home some of the BLTT heaven I have decided to make my own version. It is all about the grilling of the Romaine lettuce. Yes, you read that correctly. I GRILL the lettuce. Makes for a smoky delicious flavor for my bacon, tomatoes and blue cheese.
Mama’s BLT Salad
- 3 heads of romaine, washed
- olive oil
- 10 strips of thick cut bacon, cooked crisp
- 2 tomatoes, rough chopped
- Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
- Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high. Brush romaine with olive oil and place on grill. Turn as grill marks appear. Once romaine is done cooking place on a wooden cutting board. Cut off ends and place romaine leaves on platter, fanning out. Top with tomatoes, bacon and blue cheese crumbles. Top with homemade ranch dressing!
Here is an even heartier salad I make all the time when we are trying to eat lite. But, I promise will fill you up!!!
Grilled Pork Arugula Salad with Sweet Onion Dressing
Ingredients
- Balsamic viniagrette salad dressing
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 boneless pork chops
- 3/4 cup red seedless grapes, halved
- 4 heaping cups baby arugula
- 1/2 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese
- Sweet Onion Dressing (see recipe below)
- Put the pork chops in a gallon sized Ziploc bag and pour 1 cup of salad dressing over the top. Add the fresh thyme and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 15 minutes. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the pork until cooked through but still moist, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to a serving platter or individual plates; top with the arugula and grape. Sprinkle with the gorgonzola.
Sweet Onion Dressing
- 1/2 large Vidalia or sweet onion
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 6 tablespoons white vinegar
- 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorns, to taste
- Slice 1/2 inch off both ends of onion. Pierce onion skin in several places with a sharp knife. Place onion in microwave-proof bowl. Add a bit of water. Microwave 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Set aside to cool. When cooled, peel and place in food processor. Puree until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and process until combined and smooth.