Charred Romaine lettuce, lemony Caesar dressing with anchovies, parmesan cheese, and crunchy garlic croutons make the ultimate grilled summer salad.
You really love Caesar salad! But have you ever tried it grilled? Charring whole Romaine lettuce leaves for a few seconds on a hot grill gives Caesar salad that distinct summer grilled taste. In a word, it's EXTRA! My lectin free Caesar dressing with wild-caught anchovies and pastured eggs give this tasty summer salad the green light for Plant Paradoxers. Read on to see how this salad is made.
Start with organic Romaine lettuce, and wash it well. Did you know Romaine lettuce isn't just a pretty color? It's a good source of Vitamin C, K, and A as well as Calcium, Iron, Folate, Phosphorus, Magnesium, and Potassium. So crunch away, and get some added health benefits while you're at it.
While Romaine is the lettuce of choice, it wouldn't be a Caesar salad without some crunchy garlic croutons. I cubed a slice of my LFG teff sourdough and pan-toasted the bread cubes in ghee, fresh garlic and salt. Interested in making lectin free sourdough? If you're itching to up your lectin free bread options, check out my latest ebook Sourdough Rising! It's 74 pages of fermentation insight, recipes and of course food porn. Make artisan breads, desserts, main courses, sides, salads, breakfasts and more with one sourdough starter. It's all in the book.
Now, let's make this delicious grilled Caesar salad!
The Recipe
LFG Grilled Caesar Salad
10 Lectin Free Bread Cubes
1 Clove Garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp. Salt
8-10 Washed Romaine Lettuce Leaves
Ghee or Olive OIl Spray
1/4 C Parmigiano-Reggiano shaved
4 T LFG Caesar Dressing*
4 Wild Caught Anchovy Fillets (optional)
*LFG Caesar Dressing
2 Wild Caught Anchovy Fillets
1 Clove Garlic
1 Tiny Pinch Salt
1/8 t Cracked Black Pepper
1 Pastured Egg Yolk
2 T Fresh Lemon Juice (more if needed)
1/4 t Dijon Mustard
4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you may not need all)
1 T Parmigiano-Reggiano (finely grated)
Instructions:
Step 1: Make the Caesar Dressing
In a blender or small food processor, drop in anchovies, garlic clove and a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Pulse about 5 times. Drop in the egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard. Pulse five more times. With blender or processor on low, gradually, drizzle in EVOO one tablespoon at a time. You'll notice the mixture emulsifying and turning into a creamy dressing. Once you achieve the right consistency, stop with the oil. Add the final ingredient, finely grated, real Italian parmesan cheese and give it one final mixing. The dressing should be thick but pourable, and creamy. Adjust with a little more lemon juice and oil to get the consistency you like.
Step 2: Pan-Toast the Croutons
Use a slice of LFG sourdough bread if you've made some, or choose any lectin free bread you have on hand. Cut one or two bread slices into large cubes for about 10 bread cubes. Melt ghee in hot pan, add minced garlic, and bread cubes. Salt to taste while toasting to a crunchy, golden brown. Set aside.
Step 3: Grill the Romaine
Heat grill to medium high. Spray the Romaine lettuce leaves with ghee or olive oil. Set leaves on grill for about 30 seconds on one side until you achieve those signature grill marks. Only grill one side, and do not over-grill or your lettuce will wilt.
Step 4: Assemble Salad
First, set grilled Romaine leaves, charred side up on cold salad plates. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of Caesar salad dressing over the leaves. Next, set pan-toasted garlic croutons on dressed lettuce. Shave parmesan cheese over the top of the salad. Finally, top each salad with two anchovy fillets.
Eat this hearty salad with a knife and fork. Pair grilled Caesar salad with a smokey Argentinian Malbec or Champagne. ENJOY!