How to Chop Romaine Lettuce for a Caesar Salad

Romaine chopped into bite-sized pieces is most diner-friendly when it comes to a Caesar salad. The original recipe may have called for whole romaine leaves, but smaller pieces toss easily and enable you to distribute dressing evenly throughout the salad. If you use a knife to chop the romaine, it may hasten browning of the leaves -- so wait to chop just before tossing and serving. If you want to avoid uniformly sized leaves, tear the romaine to achieve a more rustic and unpredictable eating experience.

Remove the outer leaves from a full head of romaine as these are usually coarse and browned on the edges. If you prefer a light and leafy salad, cut away the inner rib of each leaf. After washing and drying the leaves, tear them by hand or coarsely chop with a knife.

To prepare a modern wedge Caesar salad, remove the outer leaves from a head of romaine and trim the woody end of the root, while keeping the leaves connected. Slice the head into quarters or halves -- depending on your preferred size. Top with dressing, croutons and anchovies to serve.