Hearts of Romaine with Creamy Feta Dressing

Romaine lettuce takes center stage in this light starter idea. Top with creamy feta dressing and a pinch of cayenne for kick.

Hearts of Romaine with Creamy Feta Dressing
Photo: Karla Conrad
Start To Finish Time:
15 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
about 3/4 cup dressing

Ingredients

  • 3 hearts of romaine lettuce

  • 1 Recipe Basic Vinaigrette, using 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar in place of 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ounces)

  • ¼ cup water

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)

Basic Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Directions

  1. Cut each heart of romaine in half lengthwise. Arrange romaine on a serving platter.

  2. For dressing, in a food processor or blender combine Basic Vinaigrette, 1/2 cup cheese, the water, oregano, garlic, and salt. Cover and process or blend until smooth.

  3. Drizzle dressing over romaine; sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. To serve, cut romaine halves crosswise into quarters.

Basic Vinaigrette

  1. In a small screw-top jar combine oil, lemon juice, and vinegar. Cover and shake well.

Out of feta? Use goat cheese (chèvre) instead. For a change of texture, use baby greens in place of the romaine. Go Middle Eastern and use a teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander instead of the oregano.

For an Asian spin, use 3 tablespoons peanut oil and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil for the olive oil, lime juice for the lemon juice, and rice wine vinegar for the white wine vinegar. Want a French Vinaigrette? Add 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard and 1 tablespoon minced shallot. Want a heartier flavor? Use red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar in place of the white wine vinegar.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

65 Calories
6g Fat
2g Carbs
1g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Calories 65
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 6mg 2%
Sodium 130mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 2.4mg 12%
Calcium 50.5mg 4%
Iron 0.4mg 2%
Potassium 81mg 2%
Folate, total 40.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.1mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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