Summer Salad Swap

Linking up with Mel today for a:

This might be the best salad I've ever made. It is seriously SO good and definitely worth considering for dinner this week.

Dinner with friends: divine. This dinner, alfresco, with friends, and an amazing rose´: a perfect Summer evening.

Starting with rose´ is totally optional, but honestly, why not? This lovely number is a french varietal bought at Trader Joe's.

A key to this delicious, flavor-packed meal is the lightly charred romaine. Oh my. Grilling the hearts makes for a more intense and smoky bite. I don't know that I'd ever make Caesar Salad again without grilling the lettuce--it's so worth it.

Add to the grilled romaine some tender grilled chicken, handmade croutons (not if you're grain-free like me), and a dressing so good it had me licking the spatula clean (a la` cake batter), and you have one unforgettable Caesar Salad. I've made this salad three times, and even without the homemade croutons, it is positively, absolutely, amazingly yummy and complete.

Scrum-didilly-umptious! 

Thanks for the great idea, Mel! Looking forward to enjoying lots of new salad recipes in the hot weeks to come.

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Adapted from epicurious.com

Serves 6-8

Dressing:

1/2 C freshly grated parmesan cheese (can do in food processor with grater blade)

8 anchovy fillets

3 TBS fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves

2 TBS Dijon mustard

3/4 C olive oil

Salt & pepper

Chicken:

4 breasts of chicken

olive oil

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Salt & pepper

Croutons:

3 Tbs olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

3 3/4-inch-thick slices whole grain bread, crusts removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (4 cups)

Salt & pepper

Salad

3 hearts of romaine, sliced in half lengthwise

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cracked black pepper

For dressing:

Combine all ingredients other than olive oil in a food processor; blend well. With processor running, add olive oil in a slow stream. Season with salt and pepper.

For croutons:

Preheat oven to 325F. Heat 3 TBS olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and fresh herbs and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Remove from heat and add bread cubes; toss to coat. Spread out bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until croutons are golden, about 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For grilled chicken & romaine:

Preheat grill to high heat. Spray with cooking oil.

Smother chicken breasts with a little olive oil. Season evenly with fresh herbs, salt & pepper.

Grill chicken over high heat until cooked all the way through, or until internal temperature reaches 165F, about 4-6 minutes per side. After flipping chicken halfway through cooking, brush olive oil over cut sides of romaine. Place romaine, cut side down, on grill and cook until just charred, about 2-3 minutes.

To assemble salad:

On a large platter, arrange romaine leaves, cut/charred side up. Slice chicken breast and lay on top of romaine. Top with 1/2 cup grated parmesan, croutons, and cracked black pepper.