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

Instructions

1. Toast bread in hot oven or under broiler.
2. Rub toast with crushed garlic top with tapanade and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
3. Place vinegar in a bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow stream to combine.
4. Add seasonings and pepper and whisk again to distribute the herbs and spice throughout the dressing.
5. Quarter each romaine heart lengthwise and trim away core.
6. Arrange 1/2 heart, 2 trimmed quarters, on each of 4 serving plates.
7. Top lettuce with 2 garlic toasts.
8. Drizzle toasts and lettuce with 1/4 of the prepared dressing and serve.
9. 1 cup pitted chopped kalamata olives
10. 2 canned anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
11. In a small bowl combine the olives and anchovies.