Grilled Romaine Caesar with Cajun Croutons

Most salads apologize for being on the plate. Not this one. This salad walks into the room and announces itself. The char on that romaine, the punch of garlic in the dressing, those croutons that crunch like they mean it: this is a salad with backbone.

I started grilling romaine at Lagniappe back in 2003 when a cook accidentally dropped a head on the flat top. Instead of throwing it away, I tasted it. That smoky, slightly wilted outer leaf with the cool, crisp heart underneath? Pure magic. We've had it on the menu ever since.

The croutons are where Louisiana shows up to the party. You're building flavor in layers here: butter, garlic, and a generous shake of Cajun seasoning. They get toasted in a cast iron skillet until they're golden and fragrant, soaking up all that spiced butter. My grandmother Evangeline would say these croutons could stand on their own as a snack. She wouldn't be wrong.

The dressing is the real deal. Anchovies, raw garlic, egg yolk, good parmesan. None of that bottled stuff that tastes like salad dressing trying to remember what Caesar is supposed to be. You make it fresh, you taste it, you adjust. That's the bayou way.