The winner has been selected, and is Heather!
It’s not uncommon for me to order a caesar salad when eating out. It’s almost always guaranteed to be gluten-free with in-house made dressing, and I love the nutrients of anchovies and greens instead of splurging on something else off the menu that may be a less healthy choice. While I recognize that not everyone is going to be willing to jump on the hairy-fish-train, you should know that all Caesar salads are made with anchovy paste. Likely you’ve had that rich-umami taste, loved it, and not even known! Anchovies are loaded with nutrients like calcium, iron, healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins riboflavin, B-12, and niacin [source]. So even if you opt not to have anchovies added atop your salad, you’ll get the health benefits from the anchovy paste in the iconic salad dressing!
More on this traditional salad dressing on Tony’s blog, FED here
Recently while out to dinner with my dad to celebrate Mother’s Day, I ordered the Caesar salad on the menu. When a grilled Romain salad arrived I fell in love! My dad never seen anything like it, and we both talked the entire meal about how delicious it was; he specifically asked that I figure out how to make it for him for Father’s Day.
The salad that started the obsession originally posted on Instagram
As you likely already know, Matt is the cook in our recipe-writing-duo, I simply make things look good. I don’t think I’ve ever grilled! So I was at a loss as to what to do – fortunately for me, our good friend Tony of Fitness in an Evolutionary Direction already had a recipe in his cookbook, Paleo Grilling (which we reviewed earlier in this post).
Today I’m SO excited to be able to get to share this recipe for Blackened Caesar Salad with you, from Tony himself! I sincerely hope that you try it out. If you like it, there are a ton more grilled recipes in Paleo Grilling that you will love! This dish will make a fantastic dish along side the Crispy Baked Wings and Restaurant Steaks in Real Life Paleo. Of course, our 50/50 Bacon Burgers from the blog would also be a very simple and quick way to utilize the grill while you’ve got it hot!
Ingredients
- 2oz anchovy filets, packed in olive oil, drained
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch sea salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) light olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large heads romaine lettuce, cut lengthwise
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons (28 g) roasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Add the anchovy fillets, garlic, and a pinch of sea salt to a food processor and pulse until combined.
- Turn the food processor on low and add the egg yolks, lemon juice, and dijon mustard. Add the extra virgin olive oil in a slow drizzle until combined. Add the light olive oil, processing until thick and well combined.
- If desired, season with additional sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more lemon juice. Store in the refrigerator.
- Preheat grill to medium-high and brush the cut surface of the romaine lettuce with olive oil. When the grill is hot, place the lettuce over direct heat, turning occasion-ally, for 4 to 5 minutes. When done, the lettuce will be slightly charred and tender.
- Place each lettuce half on a plate, drizzle with the caesar dressing, and garnish with the roasted pumpkin seeds.
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