- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, julienne
- Dressing:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- Make the dressing first. With the skin still on the garlic cloves, drop them into a small pan of boiling water and cook for 6 minutes. Drain and let cool for a minute. Remove the skins (if they are still on) and smash the garlic in a small bowl, making a paste. Add the mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend well. Whisk in the olive oil. Set aside.
- To toast the pine nuts, add them to a large non-stick dry skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Transfer to a paper towel as soon as some color starts to form. Carefully watch this process for they can go from doing nothing to being burnt in short order.
- Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Cut the basil into strips. In a salad bowl toss together the lettuce, basil, cheese and pine nuts. Whisk the dressing again and drizzle over salad and serve immediately.