Grilled Romaine with BBQ Shrimp | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae
Grilled romaine is a lovely way to get your veggies - hot and cold, crunchy and charred, and in this version, with a heaping topping of grilled shrimp. Slather with Caesar, some good balsamic, and you've got a deliciously decadent weeknight meal that still ticks the box as a 'salad'.
- Yield: Serves 2, or double everything for 4
- Time: About 2 hours, including 1 unattended
- Storage Notes: Best enjoyed right off the BBQ
- Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
- 1LB small shrimp, peeled with head and tail off
- 1 large head romaine. The thicker the better
- 2Tbs Chuck's Dust Seasoning
- 2Tbs California Cajun Seasoning
- 5Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3Tbs Caesar salad dressing
- 1 good drizzle of balsamic vinegar
- 1oz Parmesan cheese
- Peel and devein shrimp, rinsing thoroughly then allowing to dry in a colander.
- In a bowl, combine shrimp, olive oil, and both Chuck's Dust and California Cajun Seasoning. Mix well to combine, then cover and pop in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour.
- Remove the 4-6 or so outer leaves of the romaine, as few as you can, and rise the remaining core well. Pat dry, then slice in half tip-to-tail.
- Take shrimp out of the fridge, and skewer.
- Prep your sauces, cheese, and dinner plates - this will all come together pretty quickly, and you want to serve while it's as hot as possible.
- Get your BBQ going on medium-high, and with a closed lid, give it 5 minutes or so for the grates to warm up.
- Drizzle a bit of cooking oil on a paper towel and wipe down the grates of the area you'll be using to avoid food sticking.
- Shrimp goes on first - as they're small, it's likely no more than 2 minutes a side, or whatever your preferred level of doneness/char is. Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Crank heat up to high, and place romaine halves face down. Apply gentle but firm pressure on them - you want full contact with the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to show some good char and yellowing in the center. Remove, and cover with foil.
- Plate romaine, cover with shrimp, drizzle over both Caesar and balsamic, and top with a couple shavings of Parmesan.
- Serve immediately, and devour.