Caesar salads are perfect for warm-weather dining, especially when topped with fresh seafood. The tangy homemade Caesar dressing in this recipe is quick and simple to make in a small blender. Anchovies, garlic, lemon and Dijon mustard add a substantial kick to this classic dressing.

The garlic-butter croutons with Parmesan really elevate this salad, making it look and taste quite fancy. The cheese crusted onto each toast will have you snacking on these croutons all by themselves.

Grill the salmon on top first to get perfect grill marks, and then flip it over and grill it on the skin side until it’s cooked through. If you don’t have a grill, you can use a stovetop grill pan or an oven broiler.

This easy weeknight salad will take you from zero to dinner in about 30 minutes, even if you make the dressing and croutons from scratch. It’s a recipe that is perfect for the start of summer.

INGREDIENTS

Croutons

3½-inch-thick slices French bread, crust removed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated

2 large garlic cloves, minced

Dressing

2 large garlic cloves

3 anchovy fillets

½ teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons mayonnaise

⅛ teaspoon sea salt, or as needed

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup olive oil

Salad

1 large head romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces

½ cup Parmesan, grated

Freshly ground black pepper

Salmon

4 (6-ounce) wild salmon fillets, skin and pin bones removed

Olive oil for grilling

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

CROUTONS: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and butter. Stir in Parmesan and garlic. Add bread cubes and toss until coated. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a shallow, rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake about 15 minutes. Set aside.

DRESSING: In a blender, combine the dressing ingredients until smooth.

SALAD: In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce and croutons. Pour dressing over lettuce mixture; toss lightly to coat. Add ¼ cup of Parmesan and toss well.

SALMON: Preheat a grill or stovetop grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Grill the fillets skinned side up and cook for three to five minutes. Turn fillets over and grill until fish is just cooked through, about three minutes more. Divide Caesar dressing among four plates and top with a salmon fillet. Garnish with remaining Parmesan and serve.