Braised Hearts of Romaine

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Trim root end of each heart (keeping heart intact), then halve heart lengthwise.

   Step 2

   Heat butter in a deep 13- to 14-inch skillet (or a 12-inch straight-sided skillet) over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add romaine, cut sides down (halves will fit very snugly in pan), and cook, turning once, until golden but not cooked through, about 5 minutes.

   Step 3

   Add wine and boil until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and briskly simmer, partially covered, until ribs are tender, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer romaine with tongs to a platter (remove any peppercorns that stick to romaine) and boil liquid, uncovered, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 3 minutes.

   Step 4

   Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve over romaine.