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["For the Smoky Tomato Dressing
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Peel and seed the vine-ripe tomatoes, reserving the tomato water and straining out the seeds.
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Chop tomatoes into reserved tomato water.
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Add the olive oil, sugar/honey, liquid smoke, and chopped garlic.
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Marinate in non-reactive glass or ceramic bowl for 45 minutes to an hour on countertop.
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Place marinated tomato mixture into a blender with fresh basil (leaves and stems), and mayonnaise.
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Blend until smooth and refrigerate for an hour.", "For the Candied Walnuts
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Combine walnuts, confectioners' sugar, light corn syrup, and water, mixing well.
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Assemble in a single layer on a cookie sheet, lined with a Silpat mat.
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Bake for 10 minutes, in the middle of the oven. Watch closely.
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After nuts have baked and cooled break apart.", "To Grill the Romaine
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Preheat grill to high heat.
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Slice romaine heads in half.
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Place lettuce cut side down onto very hot grill. Apply finger pressure to create great grill lines.
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Cook each head 2-3 minutes on both sides with a closed grill top.
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Leave 4 halves in current form and slice 2 of the heads into one inch pieces.", "To Assemble Salad
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Place a half of head onto a long plate, top with a handful of lettuce from the chopped heads.
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Drizzle with the Smoky Tomato Dressing.
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Sprinkle with Feta Cheese.
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Top with the Candied Walnuts.
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Serve and Enjoy.", "Notes
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For instructions on Peeling and seeding the tomatoes, read instructions at my website www.creatingastir.net
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When marinating the tomatoes, make sure you are using a ceramic or glass bowl for this step. A metal bowl can react with the acid in the tomatoes and make them taste tinny, and a plastic bowl will absorb the liquid smoke, a flavor you don't want in every dish that next touches that bowl.
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For the candied nuts, pecans can be substituted.
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Make sure to watch the walnuts while baking. Walnuts can go from being nicely browned to burnt in a blink of an eye. Believe me, I've done it a time or two. Watch these bad boys closely and keep your nose on high alert."]
