Grilled Lettuce with Dill-Sour Cream Dressing

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Oh, friends. Our nervous systems have really been put through the wringer this past week, haven’t they? Everyone (truly everyone) has been gripped—with fascination and terror in equal measure—about the outbreak of an explosive stomach bug linked to bacteria-contaminated produce.

Within a matter of hours after the first news reports about the outbreak, people online were already making memes—some funny and some despairing—about swearing off all fresh fruits and veggies. Yep, right at the height of summer. I admit that I briefly succumbed to fear myself when I gave the lettuce and berries at my grocery store the side eye last week, and kept on moving.

But I have since come to my senses, and I am here to implore us all to: PLEASE. KEEP. EATING. FRUITS. AND. VEGETABLES. (Stay with me, I will explain.)

This stomach bug saga continues to evolve or, rather, devolve. Early reports made it seem like we should be freaking out about all fresh produce. Then the FDA linked this particular bacterial outbreak to Taylor Farms, a mega-farm based in California and Mexico that distributes lettuce to everywhere from Taco Bell to Whole Foods. And then, the FDA retracted their original finding, saying it came from a false positive test. According to a Taylor Farms press release, the FDA “apologized” for the mistake.

That, as the kids say, is pretty sus.

So what are supposed to do with this information? Aside from rub our necks to soothe the whiplash?

It leaves ya wondering: Is Trump’s FDA led by incompetent, under-qualified people? (I mean, yes it’s a clown show.) Did his administration’s funding cuts and hiring freezes hamper the federal response to this outbreak? (Obviously.) Did the head honcho at Taylor Farms, a donor to Trump’s campaign, call in a favor to try and clear his company’s reputation? (I have no idea, but corporate pay-to-play corruption is a defining feature of the current administration so it is very possible.)

If eating fresh lettuce gives you the ick right now, go ahead and cook it. Start with this week’s recipe for Grilled Lettuce with Dill-Sour Cream Dressing.

Here’s the bottom line: bacterial outbreaks, including widespread ones, are going to happen from time to time in our giant, mechanized, globalized food system. That is a sad fact. Outbreaks can (and do) happen under any president. But thanks to this current administration’s anti-regulatory stance, and seeming disdain for public health more broadly, we are currently even less safe from such outbreaks than usual.

That said, I don’t think we have to jump to the most extreme conclusion and give up entirely on eating fruits and veggies. The closer we can get to the source of our produce, the less vulnerable we are to the industrialized food system.

• If you can grow some of your own produce, great.

• If you can buy fruits and veggies at the farmer’s market or through a CSA, even better. (I will be the first to acknowledge that, when organic heirloom tomatoes are $7/pound, this is not always financially feasible.)

• And if you can support a Jewish farmer in the process of buying local, incredible!

But if you, like my family, continue to do most of your food shopping at Trader Joe’s or another grocery store, you can take comfort that—outside of the hotspots in Michigan and Ohio—the dreaded stomach bug outbreak is limited. So go ahead and stay cautious. Wash your fruits and veggies well. But let’s also carry on with our lives, okay? There is too much else to worry about right now to also give up the joy of summery watermelon salads and gazpacho.

That said, if eating fresh lettuce still gives you the ick right now (totally understandable), go ahead and cook it! Start with this week’s recipe for Grilled Lettuce with Dill-Sour Cream Dressing.

A few weeks back we had grilled heads of Romaine lettuce at our friends’ cabin in Pennsylvania, and I immediately wanted to make it again. Can lettuce be luscious? Grilled lettuce is! The flames wilt and char the leaves leaving behind a silky, sultry, slightly smoky pile of vegetable goodness. Pair it with grilled fish, veggie burgers, or whatever else is on your summer menu.

To gild the lily, I whisked together an Eastern Europe-inspired dressing made from rich sour cream and heaps of fresh dill. This is precisely how I plan to eat lettuce all summer long. Take a peek at the recipe below and get ready to grill.

May 16-22, 2027

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If desired, swap mayonnaise for the sour cream to make the dressing dairy-free. The flavor won’t be quite the same, but it will still be delicious.

Serves 4

For the Dressing:

1 cup (240 g) sour cream (ideally full-fat)

1/4 cup (60 g) mayonnaise

Zest of 1 large lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch fresh dill, stems removed and very finely chopped

One-quarter of a medium red onion, finely chopped

For the Grilled Lettuce:

2 medium heads of Romaine lettuce

Olive oil, for drizzling

Kosher salt, for sprinkling

1. Make the dressing: Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the chopped dill and red onion. Taste, and add more lemon juice or salt, if desired. Set aside until needed (or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day).

2. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Meanwhile, slice each head of lettuce in half lengthwise, through the root (to keep the leaves together). Drizzle each of the halves with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle with a little salt.

3. Grill, turning once with tongs, until grill marks form and the lettuce is lightly wilted with charred edges, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the grilled lettuce halves to a serving plate and serve warm, with the dressing alongside for drizzling.