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Southwest Caesar with Garlicky Grilled Shrimp & Croutons

Seafood alternatives: scallops

Old Caesar Cardini himself would surely approve of this spirited variation on his creation. Croutons grilled alongside the shrimp, all basted with garlic oil, make for a fun twist.

Ingredients:

• 4 12-inch bamboo skewers
• 2 large heads romaine lettuce
• 12 large (16-20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 32 1-inch French bread cubes (about 4 cups)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. minced or pressed garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Snappy Salsa

Zesty Lime Caesar Dressing:

• 1 egg yolk (if you are concerned about the safety of raw eggs, you may omit the yolk and use an additional 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise)
• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp. minced anchovy fillets (about 4 drained fillets)
• 2 tsp. minced or pressed garlic
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Dash Tabasco
• 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. finely grated lime zest
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions:

Soak the bamboo skewers in a pan of water for at least 2 hours to prevent them from burning on grill. Heat the barbecue grill until the coals glow red with white ash around the edge.

Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients except the oils. Process for 1 minute, then with the motor running, slowly pour in the oils. The finished dressing should be smooth and creamy.

Trim the romaine of any outer tough or bruised leaves. Split lengthwise and cut across into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Rinse well and thoroughly dry in a salad spinner or on kitchen towels. Chill until needed.

Assemble on each skewer the shrimp and bread cubes in this order: 2 bread cubes, 1 shrimp, repeat two more times, then finish with 2 bread cubes. Mix together the olive oil and garlic. Lightly brush each side of skewers with oil mixture. Season the skewers with salt and pepper as desired.

Put the skewers on heated grill. Turn when first side is nicely marked and shrimp have just turned pink, about 1 minute. Continue cooking on the other side until the shrimp are opaque through but still juicy, about 1 minute longer.

Meanwhile toss the romaine with 1/2 cup of the Caesar Dressing and the Parmesan cheese. Divide among 4 chilled dinner plates. Top each salad with 1/4 cup of the Snappy Salsa and lay a skewer on each salad. Extra Caesar Dressing will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator.

Servings per recipe: 4

Cal. 822 / Total Fat 69g / Sat. Fat 9g / Chol. 177mg / Sdm. 1282mg / Carbo. 27g / Prot. 24g / Om-3 .3g