Grilled Caesar Salad

Yes you can grill your Caesar Salad!

Grilling the Romaine for a Caesar Salad creates an earthy depth to this Salad that really takes it to another level. I had experimented with grilling Romaine leaves for some dishes I was working on in the past, but never grilled the whole head of Romaine.

The first time I made this my husband and I absolutely loved it. Now, we grill our Caesar Salad all summer long and I make homemade Croutons and of course homemade Caesar Dressing to top it off!

Grilled Caesar Salad

Salad Ingredients:

2 Large Heads of Romaine Lettuce

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning (I use the low sodium)

Shredded Parmesan to garnish

Homemade Crouton Ingredients:

4 Cups Cubed Baguette Bread

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

Caesar Dressing Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 & 1/2 Teaspoons Anchovy Paste

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

2 Cloves Garlic, finely diced or minced

1 Tablespoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. On a large baking sheet drizzle the Cubed Baguette with the Olive oil. Then sprinkle with the Pepper and Garlic Powder. Give everything a good stir. I just use my hands to ensure all the Croutons are coated.

3. Bake the Croutons for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Then allow them to cool.

4. In a mason jar or any jar with a tight fitting lid, add all of the Caesar Salad Dressing ingredients and screw the lid on tightly then shake vigorously. Refrigerate until the Romaine has been grilled.

5. Preheat a gas grill on high.

6. Slice each head of Romaine in half lengthwise as you see here. then use a basting brush to liberally brush on the Olive Oil on both sides of the Romaine. Then sprinkle each half with the Montreal Steak Seasoning on both sides.

7. Turn the grill down to medium, then place the Romaine flat side down on the grill. This step does not take very long so I suggest you stay next to your grill. Keep the lid open and grill each side for about 2 minutes. You are just looking for a bit of a char to get the grilled flavor into the Romaine. If you cook it too long, it will wilt and the edges will start to burn, so keep a close eye on it.

8. When the Romaine is grilled, transfer it to a platter or simply plate on individual dinner plates. Shake the jar of Caesar Dressing then drizzle the Romaine with the Caesar Dressing then sprinkle with a little Parmesan Cheese for garnish. Finish it off by adding some of the homemade Croutons on top and you are ready to serve!

Recipe by: Hot Dish Homemaker