On the Table: Spicy Sauteed Romaine

Greens are the vegetables of the moment, I guess (in addition to strawberries), and they were EVERYWHERE at the farmers' market this week.  Among other things, I picked up a head of romaine lettuce, and I wanted to try cooking it. 

Romaine is a pretty hearty lettuce, and it can stand up to a bit of cooking.  The leaves wilt nicely, but the stems retain some crunch.  It is almost like bok choy in that respect.  Bearing that similarity in mind, I decided to make a dish that was similar to the bok choy you find in many Chinese restaurants.  It was delicious - crunchy and spicy and just fantastic.  To prepare:

Wash the lettuce very well.  Cut off the stem and rinse the leaves individually, because dirt gets stuck down near the stem.  Thinly slice the leaves.  I rinsed the leaves and cut them up, but did not dry them super-well, because a little moisture will help steam the lettuce as it is cooking.

Chop two large cloves of garlic.  If you are not a huge garlic fan, chop the garlic really finely (or use less).  If you don't mind a nice mouthful of garlic (like me!), you can make the pieces a little bigger!

Put a large skillet over medium heat.  Coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil.  When the oil gets hot, add in the garlic and cook, stirring, for just a minute.  When the garlic gets aromatic and starts to brown, add in the romaine lettuce, 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes (which produces a SPICY dish - if you want less spice, use less pepper), and a dash of salt.  Cook, stirring often, until the romaine starts to wilt.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/2 of a tablespoon of lemon juice.

Enjoy!