Make the sauce

Preheat the oven to 375°.

On a baking sheet, spread out the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread out the garlic cloves, shallots, basil, and thyme. Cook for 60 minutes.

When finished, place into a blender or food processor and blend until a smooth sauce. Set aside.

Make the croutons

On a baking sheet, toss the bread chunks with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Spread the bread chunks evenly across the pan. When the tomatoes are finished cooking, put the bread into the oven. Raise the temperature to 400°. Cook until toasted, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Make the meatballs

In a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. Using your hand, thoroughly mix everything. This should take a couple of minutes to ensure everything is well mixed.

Form into 8 large meatballs, or 16 medium meatballs.

Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat. When hot, add the meatballs. Don’t crowd them; this will have to be cooked in batches. Turn the meatballs every few minutes until they are darkly browned on each side. Remove them and set aside on a plate while you finish cooking the rest.

Add the tomato sauce to the pan. Stir in the red wine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and stir. Return the meatballs to the pan and cover. Lower the heat to medium low and continue cooking until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the salad

While the meatballs are cooking, make the dressing. In a standing mixer with the whisk attachment on high, whisk together the garlic, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and egg yolks. Once the blend begins to thicken, add the olive oil in a little at a time until emulsified (or the dressing becomes thick like mayonnaise). Stir in the lemon juice and Parmesan and set aside.

If grilling your romaine, heat your outdoor grill over high. When hot, add the romaine face down, keeping the lid of the grill open. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes and remove. If you cook for too long, the romaine will get soft and soggy.

Toss the romaine with dressing and plate. Sprinkle croutons and shaved Parmesan on top.

Serve with the meatballs and sauce with additional Parmesan as desired.

If desired, serve the meatballs over pasta.

Enjoy!