Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
A little char will go a long way with this classic summer salad.

A caesar salad is one of the most classic salads around. You would be hard pressed to find a restaurant that doesn’t serve one, let alone find a person who doesn’t like one. With that being said, not all caesar salads are created equal. This particular salad is putting a summer spin on a classic. My favorite thing to do in the summer is grilling, therefore let’s take this salad onto the grill. A fresh take on the dressing, romaine kissed with a hint of the grill and a sweet charred lemon to top it off. You can add your favorite protein or keep it simple as a vegetarian side. This is a fork and knife kind of salad, and I love it.

Serve it with:

• Grilled Fish
• Lemon Basil Chicken & Shrimp Kebobs
• Crab Legs
• Reverse Seared Strip with Rosemary Thyme Mushrooms

What you need:

• Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
• Serrated Knife
• Romaine Lettuce
• Lemons
• Sugar
• Gluten Free Baguette
• Grated and Shredded Parmesan
• Olive Oil
• Dijon Mustard
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Lemon Juice
• Anchovy Paste
• Mayonnaise

First, the Dressing. 

The first thing I like to do with this salad is make the dressing. There are so many different versions of caesar salad dressing, I like them all and truthfully like them all, this one isn’t traditional, but hopefully you have most of the ingredients in your fridge and pantry. In a bowl, add mayo, dijon, lemon juice, salt, pepper and anchovy paste. Whisk the ingredients together and slowly add in the olive oil. You will see that I have a range for the amount of olive oil, as it all depends on the consistency that you prefer; however I would do at least a ½ cup. Once the dressing is all combined, add in the grated parmesan cheese and give it one more whisk. Set aside in the fridge until it is time to use.

Side Note: If you don’t have anchovy paste on hand, you can substitute 1-2 teaspoons of Worcester sauce.

The Salad

This salad comes together quick, especially once you have the dressing ready to go. Preheat the grill to 400°. The baguette and lemons take about the same time, while the lettuce will grill much quicker. First, pour some sugar on a small plate or bowl. Next, slice the lemons in half and dip each sliced side face down in the sugar to coat. Next, thaw out your gluten free baguette and slice in half, first lengthwise and then widthwise, giving you 4 pieces. Spray the flat sides of the baguette with non-stick spray or brush with olive oil.

Simply take the romaine lettuce and slice it in half vertically, keeping the stem on. (I prefer to use those packages of romaine, the ones that come with 3 heads per bag. I find that they hold up better on the grill.) Rinse the lettuce and pat dry with paper towels. Spray the flat side of each half with non-stick or brush with olive oil.

Grill each of the items. 2-3 minutes is all you will need for the romaine and lemons, while the bread will take about 5 minutes. You are simply looking for char marks on everything.

Assembling the Salad

It is up to you if you want to plate these all together or if you would prefer to dish up every person separately. The romaine head should be dressed with your desired amount of dressing, topped with shredded parmesan cheese and then finished with a squeeze of the grilled lemons. Serve the baguette on the side or cut into bite size pieces for grilled croutons.

Side Note: For any leftover dressing, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.