Romaine lettuce appetizer with shrimp and Caesar dressing

Ingredients:

Salad

• 1.5 avocados
• Half a lemon + lemon juice for avocado
• 3 romaine lettuce hearts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
• 700 g of cooked peeled shrimp (16-20)
• 0.5 tbsp. parmesan shavings
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

Garlic croutons

• Half a loaf of crusty French bread, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil with garlic
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Caesar dressing

• 0.5 cup olive oil with garlic
• 4 anchovy fillets in oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of half a lemon
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tbsp. grated parmesan

Preparation:

1. Garlic croutons: Preheat oven to 120°C.
   
   Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with garlic oil and season with salt and black pepper. Bake, stirring once halfway through, until the croutons are crisp, about 25 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.
   
2. Caesar dressing:
   
   Pour the garlic oil into a blender. Add the anchovies, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan and blend briefly. The sauce should retain its cheesy texture.
   
3. Peel and pit the avocado, then slice it lengthwise into sticks and sprinkle with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
   
   Arrange the romaine lettuce pieces in a row on a platter, with the inside of each quarter facing up. Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce pieces, making sure it oozes between the layers of leaves.
   
4. Top with shrimp and croutons. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan and parsley leaves. Arrange the avocado slices, drizzle half a lemon over the entire dish, and serve.