Caesar salad (see following recipe) is not a traditional Italian recipe, and the grilled Caesar salad seems to be a recent phenomenon. Nino Germano, the presiding chef-owner at La Scala in Baltimore, told us how, purely by accident, he invented the grilled Caesar salad. During a busy evening in the kitchen, a cut head of young romaine lettuce fell on the grill. Nino, a frugal padrone, set it aside, and when the evening was over and it was time to have his dinner, he decided to dress that grilled romaine as he would a regular Caesar salad. And so the recipe was born.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2
Preheat a stovetop griddle that fits over two burners over medium-high heat. Scatter the bread cubes on a baking sheet, toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and toast in the oven, or scatter and toast on the griddle, until crisp throughout, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Step 3
Combine the egg yolk, garlic, anchovies, vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard in a mini–food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the work bowl as needed. With the processor running, pour 4 tablespoons olive oil through the feed tube to make a smooth dressing. Season with the salt and pepper.
Step 4
Drizzle the romaine hearts with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, brushing all over to coat evenly. Lay the romaine on the grill pan, cut side down. Grill just until marked and slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.
Step 5
Arrange the grilled romaine on a platter. Drizzle most of the dressing over them, sprinkle on the grated cheese and croutons, and then drizzle the remaining dressing on top. Use a vegetable peeler to shave slivers of Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano all over the top of the salad.
