Grilled Romaine Salad

Use the grill for more than just meat this summer by grilling your salad, too. Romaine is hearty and lends itself perfectly to grilling.

Pile on veggies of your choice for a complete grilled romaine salad. 

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 ear corn
• 2 slices day-old bread
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

Dressing

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Make the dressing by whisking together the cheese and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic and black pepper and whisk again until incorporated. Set aside.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill or stove top grill pan to medium-low, about 350⁰F.
3. Place the corn on the grill and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side until the kernels start to char. Remove from grill once the whole ear is slightly charred, cut the kernels off the cob and set aside.
4. While the corn grills, drizzle the bread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place on the grill for about 1-2 minutes per side until just slightly toasted and grill marks appear. Remove from the grill and cut into cubes.
5. Cut the head of romaine in half lengthwise keeping the core intact. Wash each half thoroughly, gently shake off any excess water and dry well.
6. Drizzle both halves of romaine (cut side) with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place the lettuce halves on the grill, cut side down and grill for 1-2 minutes per side until the outer leaves just start to wilt and the core has some nice grill marks.
7. Plate the grilled romaine on a serving platter, top with the grilled corn kernels, sliced red onion, chopped avocado and grilled croutons.
8. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve warm.

Serving Suggestion

Add chopped hard-boiled egg or cooked chicken for a complete meal.