Summer Cesar Salad

I have attended two cooking classes in my life and thoroughly enjoyed both. In one, I learned how to make a grilled Caesar salad and absolutely loved it. So I kept the concept of grilling the lettuce but created my own recipe for the dressing.

Now, I generally am not a big fan of Caesar salad. I find it too rich in many restaurants and in dressings out of a jar. I can assure you, that this dressing is slightly lighter. I added both vinegar and lemon to make it fairy tanging and cut the rich flavor of the yolk and oil a bit. I also use olive oil extra light instead of canola oil (much healthier).

This recipe is easy, the presentation is great and the flavor from the grill makes it a perfect summer dish.

Serves 4 side dish, 2 for main

-1 head of romaine lettuce

-1 clove of garlic

-1 egg yolk

-1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

-1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar 

-1/2 to 1 tablespoon lemon juice

-1/2 cup of olive oil extra light

-1 tablespoons of good olive oil

-Freshly ground black pepper and salt

-1/4 cup of grated parmesan

-Optional: one Italian garlic loaf

Smash garlic with your knife. Sprinkle sea salt on top and press the side of the blade against the garlic. Press down and rub back and forth to create a paste with the garlic.

Crack the egg over the sink and use the shell to preserve the yolk. Put yolk, garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon and good olive oil into a blender. Blend together to create a thick paste. In a slow stream add olive oil extra light through the whole in the lid. (you can also do this in a bowl with a whisk). With a spatula, scrape salad dressing into a bowl. Add salt and pepper and mix dressing.

Heat grill to medium-high. Slice head of lettuce (from bunch to head) in half and place them cut side down on grill. Grill for about 1-2 minutes on each side until you can see grill lines but the lettuce does not wilt.

If you decide to serve with homemade croutons, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and salt. Bake until golden and crispy, about 15-20 mins.

Place lettuce on serving plates and drizzle dressing on top. Grate strips of parmesan cheese on top and serve with croutons.