Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine and Grilled Croutons

Have you ever grilled lettuce? If you answered "no", now's your chance! Trust me, it changes the game completely. Getting a little char on crisp greens softens them slightly and lends a distinct BBQ flavor to the leaves. Add some grilled croutons on top and now you have a double-whammy, winning salad that’s sure to impress!

About the Romaine: To serve 4 people, you need two Romaine hearts - the kind sold in bags (usually 3-4 hearts per bag, unless you shop at Costco, where they crammed a gazillion into the bag). The Romaine sold un-bagged would also work, it's just REALLY big. If you use a whole head of Romaine, remove some of the outer leaves and use them for something else. 

About the dressing: I 100% cheated here and used my favorite store-bought dressing. BUT, I've made plenty of Caesar dressings in my day! In fact, my favorite recipe is below. It's a healthy, egg-free version that I know you'll love.  

About the croutons: I stuck with the "grill theme" here and grilled the bread for the croutons too. I think it adds great flavor to the bread and takes the salad even higher into BBQ land. BUT, if you want to use store-bought croutons instead, please do (I mean, I used bottled dressing after all...). 

Want to add some protein? You can turn this salad into a full-on, main dish meal by adding grilled or roasted chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken) or grilled or steamed shrimp. For a vegetarian version, add some grilled tempeh or tofu!

Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine and Grilled Croutons

Cooking spray
1/2 baguette, cut into 1-inch thick slices
Olive oil
2 heads Romaine hearts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup prepared Caesar dressing of choice (or Healthy Caesar Dressing recipe below*)
Freshly grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Healthy Caesar Dressing*
Whisk together the following: 
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the grill grate or grill pan with olive oil. 
To make the croutons, brush both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. Add the slices to the hot grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until you have nice grill marks. Remove the bread from the grill and, when cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside. 
To prepare the Romaine, halve each heart lengthwise, keeping the base intact to hold the leaves together. Season the cut-side of the lettuce with salt and pepper. Brush the grill grate or grill pan with olive oil. 
Place the halves, cut-side down on the hot pan and grill until golden and lightly charred, about 1 minute. Transfer the Romaine to a serving plate and top with the Caesar dressing. Top with croutons and grated cheese before serving. 

Serves 4