Grill/Barbecue
Caesar Salad Platter with Charred Romaine
- Prep time 20 minutes
- Cook time 5 minutes
- Serves 4-6 People
Author Notes
I made this recipe last year to serve along with one of my Dad's epic pizza parties. Every summer, my family loves to fire up the pizza oven, crank out some fresh pies, and enjoy some wine and quality time together. This salad was the perfect accompaniment for this. It's a platter-style Ceasar, which means it's full of flavor and easily feeds a crowd. The romaine is quartered and quickly grilled to add an element of charred flavor, and the homemade dressing packs a summery punch with the addition of fresh lemon juice, seedy mustard, anchovy paste, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Croutons are crumbled over the top for added texture, along with a little extra parmesan cheese for good measure. Best yet, it comes together in a matter of minutes, and is ready for any summer gathering! —Claire Aucella
Ingredients
- For the Dressing:
-
1
Shallot, finely chopped
-
1/4 teaspoon
Anchovy Paste (optional)
-
2 tablespoons
Grainy Mustard
-
1/2
Lemon, juiced
-
2 tablespoons
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-
1/2 cup
Parmesan Cheese (finely grated)
-
1/4 teaspoon
Salt
-
1/4 teaspoon
Black Pepper (freshly ground)
- For the Salad:
-
4
Heads of Romaine Lettuce
-
1 tablespoon
Light Olive Oil
-
1/2 cup
Croutons, lightly crushed
-
1/4 cup
Parmesan Cheese (finely grated)
Directions
- Preheat the grill to high heat. Prepare the dressing and prep the lettuce while the grill is preheating.
- For the dressing, remove the skin of the shallot and chop into fine dice. Add the chopped shallot into a small bowl or container, and add the anchovy paste, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Using a whisk, mix to combine. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the lemon juice mixture while whisking continuously to create an emulsion. Once the olive oil is fully incorporated and the dressing is creamy and smooth, add the parmesan cheese, salt, and black pepper, and mix until fully combined. Set dressing aside.
- For the lettuce, chop the head in half (lengthwise) through the core, and in half again (lengthwise) through the core to create 4 long quarters. Do not remove the cores after quartering the lettuce, as these are important to keep the lettuce heads together while grilling. Repeat for the remaining lettuce heads.
- Drizzle the lettuce quarters with light olive oil, then grill over high heat, rotating every 30-60 seconds to a new side to produce an even char. Lettuce should stay on the grill for about 2 minutes in total, rotating occasionally, to gain a quick char on all sides, but remain fresh and crunchy on the inside. Once grilling is complete, transfer the grilled lettuce to a large plate or platter.
- While still hot, drizzle the entire platter of grilled lettuce with all of the dressing. Sprinkle with the additional ¼ cup of parmesan cheese and crumbled croutons.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, immediately after preparing.
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