Just when we thought we’d tried every salad recipe in the book, this rendition came along to prove that lettuce can be enjoyed hot, just like your other favorite dinner veggies. This week, we decided to throw some romaine on the grill along with some crispy ciabatta croutons for a new, exciting rendition of a traditional caesar. So before you nix the idea of grilled romaine, listen our spiel: it’s smoky and tender in all the right places, and it holds all the tangy, salty juices, just like bok choy does, but without losing its crunch. If you’re hungry, this can be a hearty dinner option, and if you’re hosting (especially for the big game coming up!) this is a perfect hors d’oeuvre and finger food for the table.
Servings: 2
Servings: 2
Prep Time: 25 minutes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 heads romaine lettuce
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup ciabatta bread cubes
- Shaved Parmesan
- Anchovy oil from can of anchovies packed in olive oil (optional)
- Handful fresh flat parsley leaves, choppedInstructions:
1. Heat grill pan over high heat.
2. For the salad, in a small bowl combine olive oil, garlic, a few pinches of salt and about 15 grinds pepper.
3. Cut lettuce head in half lengthwise and brush with olive oil mixture. Toss bread cubes with oil mixture.
4. Grill lettuce until nicely blackened and wilted. Grill in stages if your grill pan isn’t large enough to grill in one stage. Transfer lettuce to a serving platter.
5. Add bread cubes to pan and grill until golden.
6. Squeeze lemon over the lettuce. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan and grilled bread over the top, drizzle with the anchovy oil and finish with parsley.