Vegetable

Like Caesar Salad? You'll Love It Grilled

June  2, 2016

​You can't go wrong using romaine lettuce in a salad. It's more flavorful than iceberg, but not abrasive enough to offend anyone, the way bitter arugula or radicchio might. With its substantial​ crunchy ribs, its leaves are sturdy enough to stand up to hearty dressings—and believe it or not, they're also sturdy enough to stand up to grilling. Why should other vegetables have all the fun on the grill?

If you've never tried grilling romaine or other types of lettuce before, heed Tom Hirschfeld's advice:

In the case of lettuces and leafy greens like kale, you don't want to grill them too deeply or they'll become bitter. With most greens and salads, think of it as wilting with spots of light caramelization more than grilling.

So the next time you're in the mood for a Caesar salad, fire up the grill. In addition to the smoky flavor, you'll get a mix of taste sensations—hot and cold and wilted and crisp—and possibly, a new favorite way to eat salad.

Caesar salad goes from cold to hot

Is there an ingredient or a dish you find yourself making the same way every time? Tell us in the comments and we might feature it next time with an idea for changing it up!

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • HalfPint
    HalfPint
  • Lindsay-Jean Hard
    Lindsay-Jean Hard
I like esoteric facts about vegetables. Author of the IACP Award-nominated cookbook, Cooking with Scraps.

2 Comments

HalfPint June 7, 2016
On the topic of Caesar salad, I always top it with a medium poached egg. Grilled Caesar with a poached egg sounds really good right now.

Other things I have the same way all the time, sauteed spinach. Always with garlic. Got any different ways to saute greens like spinach?



 
Lindsay-Jean H. June 7, 2016
Great suggestion, thank you, I'm on the case.