Today, we're gonna chat a little about what you can do with that Caper Berry Caesar dressing I shared with you on Friday!
Most obviously, we're gonna make a salad with it, right? But not just any salad. Sure, I could just toss some romaine and parmesan and croutons with the dressing and that salad would be way more than just ok. But I was in the mood to elevate things a bit, so I amped up this salad situation with some spicy, grilled shrimp and some non-boring garlic bread croutons.
And, whoa.
Fair warning, you may be tempted to just attack this, but you will need a nap. I know it is built on lettuce but that is a false promise, trust me.
The lettuce is perfectly crisp and the perfect vehicle for this salty, creamy dressing. The spicy shrimp add a smoky element that also feels just a little decadent by nature of being shrimp and not, say, chicken breast, and well, do you really need me to explain that using garlic bread as croutons means you end up with buttery, garlicky goodness topping your salad? No, you do not.
My suggested serving size here is massive, so assemble it all together and settle in for an indulgent, delicious summer lunch or dinner with friends (less indulgent) or alone (treat yo self!). I just try to ignore the part where I envision the perfect scenario of eating this while hanging by a backyard pool. That may just be because I served countless caesar salads pool-side the summer I worked at a spa cafe, but it's certainly problematic in that I don't have a backyard pool, nor do I think the levels of mayo, butter, and bread here really encourage swimming. I'm getting a cramp just imagining it.
But if you do have access to a pool, you can certainly enjoy while lounging, and you know, just wait the required 30 minutes or so before swimming.
Don't limit yourself to salad though! This dressing would be awesome for a crudite platter, on a sandwich, or even tossed with some roasted veggies. Personally, I've got big plans for a brussels sprouts combo that I can't wait to try out!
Caesar Salad with Grilled Shrimp and Garlic Bread Croutons
- 1 small baguette
- 4 tbs butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbs minced parsley
- 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper (optional)
- 4 hearts of romaine
- parmesan, shaved
- Caper Berry Caesar Dressing
- Make garlic bread croutons: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Split the baguette lengthwise, but don't cut all the way through, leaving one long side attached. Fold open like a book. In a small bowl, mash together butter, sea salt, garlic and parsley. Spread the mixture over both sides of the baguette and fold back together. Wrap in foil and bake for 5 minutes, then unwrap and bake 5 minutes more, until golden and crispy. Cut into 8 slices.
- Heat a grill pan or a grill to high heat. Toss the shrimp with a drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne, if using. Grill 2-3 minutes per side.
- Assemble salads: for each, cut romaine hearts in half, drizzle with a bit of the dressing. Top with 1/4 of the shrimp and a couple croutons, then drizzle with more dressing. Garnish with parmesan.