Grilled Caesar Salad

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Think about how good Caesar salad is, for a moment. OK, now imagine it grilled: it takes it to a whole new level! This salad combines grilled romaine lettuce with grilled avocados and a  creamy homemade Caesar dressing for an over the top good summer salad.

Salad
You'll need 1 head of romaine head sliced in half, then half again to create 4 smaller halves. 

  1. Lightly oil the romaine lettuce after cutting in two halves
  2. Put on heated grill, turning only once.  3 minutes for each Romaine half side, until light grill marks. 
  3. Slice avocado in half and leaving 'as is' with shell and all (remove stone), and also grill for 4 minutes on one side until you see brown grill marks (meaty avocado side) . These don't take long. Slice when done
  4. Make dressing or buy already made 
  5. On platter, place grilled romaine halves , grilled avocado slices , sliced tomatoes, shaved Pecorino , large croutons, and drizzle the homemade dressing. This is divine with a glass of Westport Rivers Winery's Farmers Fizz. 

Caesar Dressing

  • 1 medium clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise  -totally optional!
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste-totally optional !
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or pink salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

  1. Grate the garlic, or finely mince it. Grate the Parmesan cheese as finely as possible (it’s helpful to use the fine holes on a grater). Juice the lemon.
  2. Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. Store refrigerated (keeps  1 week).

 

Lettuce Tips
Storage: If you’re storing individual lettuce leaves, spin them dry after washing and place in a lettuce keeper in the fridge. A container is best to avoid bruising and bacteria buildup.

What are 2 things that lettuce needs to stay fresh? 

Moisture and Air.

You can also use a plastic bag if you keep a corner open for airflow, or you can store them stemless and wrapped in a wet paper towel in your crisper drawer. Make sure to add a few paper towels to absorb excess moisture and replace the paper towels every few days if they get too damp.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/tips-tricks-keep-lettuce-fresh/

How long does lettuce last?
iceberg: 1- 3 weeks                     

romaine: 1 week                       

arugula:   days
 
Presented by Joanne Keaveney, dietitian/chef