Romaine Hearts with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Garlic Crostini

Ingredients

• 8 slices day old crusty bread, cut on an angle
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Tapanade, recipe follows
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling plus 1/2 cup
• 2 hearts romaine lettuce
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, eyeball it
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, eyeball it
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Toast bread in hot oven or under broiler. Rub toast with crushed garlic top with tapanade and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Place vinegar in a bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream to combine. Add seasonings and pepper and whisk again to distribute the herbs and spice throughout the dressing.

Quarter each romaine heart lengthwise and trim away core. Arrange 1/2 heart, 2 trimmed quarters, on each of 4 serving plates. Top lettuce with 2 garlic toasts. Drizzle toasts and lettuce with 1/4 of the prepared dressing and serve.

Tapanade:

1 cup pitted chopped kalamata olives

2 canned anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped

In a small bowl combine the olives and anchovies.