By The state announced this week that the fall football season would be postponed. Not canceled — they were careful about the word — but postponed until spring 2021. I sat with my staff on a video call and told them. Williams was quiet. Tui asked three practical questions about conditioning calendars. Nobody fell apart. We're professionals. We've been through disappointments before. We'll be through this one.
The harder call was to the players. I did it by group first, then individual calls to the seniors who were losing their final fall season. A seventeen-year-old who has played football since second grade, who came to camp every August, who put in the summer work — telling that kid his senior season is gone is one of the worst things I've done in this job. I told each one the same thing: what you built doesn't go away when the calendar changes. The work you did this summer made you a better person than you were in June. Nobody can take that away. I said it because I believe it. I said it because it was the only true thing I had to give them.
I grilled that night. Needed to. Carne asada on the charcoal grill, the heat high and direct, the steak making the noise it makes when it hits the grate. Lisa brought out beer for herself and sparkling water for me. We sat outside until midnight in the warm August air. We didn't talk about the season. We talked about the kids, about my dad, about a trip we want to take eventually, about nothing specific. It was good. Sometimes the specific relief of an ordinary evening is exactly what's needed.
The carne asada was the anchor that night, but the romaine went on right alongside it — halved, hit with high direct heat, charred just enough on the edges. It’s almost nothing to make, which was the point. I didn’t want to think. I wanted the fire to do the work while Lisa and I sat in the August dark and let the evening be ordinary. Sometimes the simplest thing on the grill is the one that holds everything together.
Grilled Romaine Hearts
Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 5 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 romaine hearts, halved lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Optional: red pepper flakes, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the grill. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to high heat (around 450–500°F). You want direct, intense heat to get a good char without wilting the lettuce through.
- Prep the romaine. Slice each romaine heart in half lengthwise, keeping the root end intact so the leaves hold together. Brush the cut sides generously with olive oil.
- Season. Sprinkle the cut sides evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Grill. Place the romaine halves cut-side down directly on the grill grates. Grill for 2–3 minutes without moving, until the cut face has visible char marks and the outer leaves just begin to wilt at the edges.
- Finish and serve. Transfer to a platter cut-side up. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice, shower with Parmesan, and add red pepper flakes if you like. Serve immediately alongside carne asada or any grilled main.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 95 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 280mg