First make the dressing. Put the sesame seeds in a small, dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for a few minutes until starting to pop, shaking the pan frequently. Using a pestle and mortar, grind the sesame seeds to a fine paste. Add the garlic and pound until smooth, then gradually work in the olive oil until you have a smooth paste. Stir in the vinegar and soy sauce. Set aside.

Preheat a cast-iron or heavy-based stainless steel frying pan over a high heat. Halve the lettuces lengthways, keeping the roots intact, and brush with olive oil. Sear for 2 minutes on the cut side, then transfer to a warmed serving platter; depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in batches. Drizzle over the dressing and serve warm. Serves 4-6.

“I can’t get enough of cooked lettuce; whether it’s braised with spring vegetables, cooked over hot coals, or seared as in this recipe. Adding heat completely transforms what can otherwise be a fairly plain ingredient. This dish is a real crowd-pleaser and is easy to scale up. If you’re making a larger quantity of the dressing, use a food processor or high-powered ‘bullet’-style liquidizer to save yourself some work when grinding the sesame seeds.” – Rich Harris

Used with permission from Root & Leaf: Big, Bold Vegetarian Food by Rich Harris, photos by Martin Poole. Published by Kyle Books.