Roman Wedge Salad

July 2022. Memphis summer, 63 years old, and the heat wraps around Orange Mound like a wet blanket that nobody asked for but everybody wears because that is the deal you make when you live in the South. The smoker calls louder in summer — something about the heat amplifying the smoke, the way humidity amplifies everything in Memphis — and I answer, because answering is what pitmasters do.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 38 years of marriage.

I made smoked chicken this week — a simple cook that belies its depth. Rubbed with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika, smoked at 275 over hickory for three hours. The skin was mahogany, the meat juicy, and the first bite carried the kind of flavor that makes you close your eyes, which is the highest compliment food can earn: the involuntary closing of the eyes, the body's admission that what it's tasting is too good to see.

Another week in the book. Another seven days of tending fires — the one in the smoker, the one in the marriage, the one in the family, the one in the church. Each fire needs something different: wood, attention, food, faith. But the tending is the same for all of them: show up, add what's needed, wait patiently, trust the process. Low and slow. Always. Low and slow.

When you’ve spent three hours standing over a smoker in Memphis heat, watching hickory smoke curl around a bird rubbed with nothing but salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika, the last thing you want on the plate beside it is something heavy. You want something cold, something crisp, something that cuts through all that rich, smoky flavor and wakes your mouth back up. This Roman Wedge Salad is that plate companion—cool romaine, sharp dressing, a little crunch—and Rosetta will tell you it’s the reason the smoked chicken dinner feels complete instead of just full.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 large head romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise into wedges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
4 anchovy fillets, minced (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the wedges. Wash the romaine head thoroughly and pat dry. Quarter it lengthwise through the core, keeping the core intact so each wedge holds together. Place wedges on a serving platter or individual plates.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified. If using anchovies, whisk them into the dressing until well combined.
Dress and top. Spoon the dressing evenly over each romaine wedge. Top with shaved Parmesan, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and fresh basil.
Serve immediately. Present the wedges chilled for the best contrast alongside warm, smoky dishes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Roman Wedge Salad — A Cool Side for a Memphis Smoke Session