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There are two things I do when I don’t know what I want to cook for dinner. Either I’ll start chopping up an onion, heat some ghee or oil in a pan, add the onion, and stir until I figure out what I want to do next. (Something about that smell will always push me in the right direction!) Or I’ll make some sort of dressing, usually a vinaigrette. It doesn’t always lead to salad, but it does always dress up dinner. That’s how this recipe for a grilled Caesar salad with salmon and asparagus was born.
The dressing, which is salty with anchovies, perky with lemon, spicy with mustard and rich with olive oil, starts its life out — sans cheese — as the seasoning for everything. While you heat up a grill, broiler or a grill pan, brush it on halved romaine heads, slices of crusty bread and salmon filets. (Thick stalks of asparagus and lemon halves get a light brushing of canola oil.)
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Then, head to the grill, or pull out your stovetop grill pan. On a not-too-hot section, quickly grill the romaine until it’s got some grill marks on both sides. You don’t want to grill it too long or it will start to fall apart; a few minutes is all you need.
Next, perpendicular to the grates, line up the asparagus stalks. They should be touching, like logs forming a raft. Place your salmon filets on top; your asparagus raft is going to keep the fish from sticking to the grill grates. (Of course, if you want your fish to be crispy, oil the grates and lay the filets right on the hot grill, taking care not to move them until they release easily.)
The slices of bread you brushed with dressing? The lemon halves? Those go on the grill now, too. Close the grill (or oven, or cover your grill pan) and let everything cook for a few minutes, until it has some nice grill marks. Then rotate everything and let it cook for a few more minutes.
While this is happening, stir a few handfuls of grated Parmesan into the dressing. Now it’s official Caesar salad dressing, and you can get a platter ready. Line everything up and drizzle the cheesy dressing, plus more grated cheese, on top before serving. It’s dinner, fully dressed.
As with all of the recipes I feature in this column, there are several ways to make this one your own: Use a different fish; boneless, skinless chicken breasts; or a vegetarian option of your choosing. Omit the anchovies if you don’t like them. Skip the cheese or substitute half as much nutritional yeast. Roast everything on a sheet pan instead of grilling it, if you’d like. You’ll miss that lovely, fiery charred flavor, but it will still be a Caesar salad-style dinner.
Make ahead: Dressing may be made, without cheese, up to 1 week in advance.
NOTE: If using a grill pan, lightly brush it with oil. If using a charcoal grill, cook only over indirect heat.
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