Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Toasted Parmesan
- 75 g parmigiano-reggiano, finely grated
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Lime Vinaigrette
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 4 anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste
- 1 garlic, minced to a paste
- 10 g dijon mustard, smooth
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g lime zest, finely grated
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 40 ml neutral oil
- 2 g salt
Salad
- 2 romaine lettuce hearts, halved lengthwise with core intact
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Spoon the grated parmigiano-reggiano into small mounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out slightly. Top with a pinch of black pepper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese melts, bubbles, and turns a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely until crisp.
In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolk, mashed anchovies, minced garlic, dijon mustard, lime zest, and lime juice. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated. Note that consuming raw egg poses a risk of foodborne illness; use pasteurized eggs if serving vulnerable individuals.
Combine the extra virgin olive oil and neutral oil in a small vessel. Slowly drizzle the oil mixture into the yolk base, drop by drop at first, while whisking vigorously and constantly to create a thick, creamy emulsion. Season with salt.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Brush the cut sides of the halved romaine hearts lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
Place the romaine halves cut-side down onto the hot grill. Cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes until dark char marks form and the outer leaves begin to wilt slightly. The core should remain crisp.
Transfer the grilled romaine halves to serving plates, cut-side up. Drizzle generously with the lime vinaigrette and shatter the toasted parmesan crisps over the top.
Chef's Notes
- Leaving the core completely intact when halving the romaine is crucial; it acts as an anchor holding the delicate leaves together on the hot grill.
- Using a blend of neutral oil and extra virgin olive oil in the vinaigrette prevents the dressing from becoming overly bitter, which can happen if pure olive oil is heavily agitated or blended.
- Mashing the garlic and anchovies with a pinch of coarse salt using the flat side of your chef's knife helps break them down into a perfectly smooth paste.
- For the toasted parmesan frico, aged Parmigiano-Reggiano yields a much crisper, less greasy result than younger or pre-grated cheeses.
