By Stephanie Wharton
This recipe is such a fun twist on the traditional Caesar Salad! If you’d like a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, grill up some chicken breasts while you cook the bacon, and then serve alongside the romaine hearts. The bacon, dressing, and chicken (if eating) can all be cooked in advance, which makes this a party friendly dish, as well. Just grill up the romaine hearts and assemble everything when you’re ready to eat.
Ingredients
● 8 slices of bacon
● 1 garlic, whole bulb
● ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (plus some extra for brushing)
● 1 lemon
● 2 Tbsps Dijon Mustard
● Sea salt & pepper (to taste)
● 4 heads Romaine Hearts, halved
● ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano (grated or shaved)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425ºF (218ºC)
2. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Spread your bacon across the baking sheet.
3. Slice the head off the garlic bulb and peel away the skin. Drizzle with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Wrap with foil. Place both the bacon and garlic in the oven. Let your garlic roast for 30 minutes. Let your bacon cook for about 8 minutes per side or until crispy. (Tip: Set 2 separate timers.)
4. When the bacon has cooled, wrap bacon in a paper towel to absorb the grease and then chop into fine pieces and set aside.
5. When the garlic is finished, let it cool and squeeze all the cloves/flesh into a blender or food processor. Discard the remaining skin. Add olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Blend well until smooth.
6. Preheat your grill on medium heat.
7. Brush the face of your halved romaine hearts with a bit of olive oil then place them directly on the grill face down. Grill for about5 minutes.
8. Remove romaine hearts. Place 2 on a plate and drizzle with desired amount of caesar dressing. Sprinkle with bacon and grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Enjoy!
