Grilled Romaine Caesar
Bobby Flay popularised the grilled Caesar at Mesa Grill in the 1990s, a technique that transforms the familiar salad entirely: halved romaine hearts are pressed onto a screaming-hot grill for 60–90 seconds per side, producing charred outer leaves, a warm semi-wilted interior, and smoke that cuts through the rich anchovy-Parmesan dressing. Nopalito (San Francisco) runs a similar version with Southwestern inflection. Both reinforce the same insight — heat makes Caesar interesting again.
Ingredients (serves 4)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Romaine hearts | 4, halved lengthways |
| Olive oil, for grilling | 3 tbsp |
| Sourdough or ciabatta, sliced 1cm thick | 4 slices |
| Parmesan, shaved | 60g |
| Anchovy fillets (for garnish, optional) | 8 |
| Flaky sea salt and black pepper | to taste |
| Lemon wedges | to serve |
Method
- Preheat: Get a cast-iron grill pan or outdoor grill as hot as possible — this is essential. The grill must be properly preheated (at least 10 minutes).
- Prepare romaine: Brush the cut faces of romaine halves with olive oil. Season lightly with salt.
- Grill bread: Brush bread slices with olive oil, grill 1–2 minutes per side until marked and crisp. Rub with a raw garlic clove while hot. Tear into large pieces and set aside.
- Grill romaine: Place romaine halves cut-side down on the grill. Do not move them. Grill 60–90 seconds until the cut face is charred in patches and the outer leaves are lightly wilted. Flip briefly for 20 seconds to mark the rounded side, then transfer to a platter.
- Dress and finish: While romaine is still hot, spoon Caesar-Original-Tijuana dressing over each half. Scatter grilled bread pieces, shaved Parmesan, and anchovy fillets. Finish with black pepper, flaky salt, and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Speed is everything: dress the romaine immediately while it is still warm so the dressing coats and softens into the charred leaves.
- Resist the urge to move the romaine on the grill — one clean press creates the correct char without collapsing the head.
- The dressing is the original Tijuana recipe (Caesar-Original-Tijuana) — using a cooked dressing here would be wrong; the raw egg yolk emulsion is what the char needs.
- Nopalito’s variation adds a chile de árbol-spiked oil drizzled over the top — highly recommended.
Dressing: Caesar-Original-Tijuana Source: Bobby Flay / Mesa Grill; Nopalito variation
Caesar-Original-Tijuana · Modern-Contemporary · Salad-Dressings