Caesar Salad
Caesar dressing is one of my favorites on a salad. This is a recipe I learned from my grandfather and I've made a few updates over the years. He used to soft boil his eggs, so the yolk was still runny but warmed through, which is an easy thing to do if you don't want to add raw egg yolk. And if you have leftover dressing I like to use it on sandwiches or toss roasted vegetables in it and top with a little extra parm!
4 Servings
Your Time: 30 minutes
Homemade croutons:
1/2 baguette or other crusty bread, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Caesar salad:
1 clove garlic
4 anchovy filets
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon oil from anchovy jar
1 lemon zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons lemon juice)
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated parmesan plus shredded parm to garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
2 romaine hearts, cleaned, dried and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
To make the croutons: Add to a large saute pan over medium-high heat the olive oil, bread and a large pinch of salt. Toss the croutons in the oil and salt so they are evenly coated. Cook, stirring often, for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy on all sides. Remove croutons to a sheet tray and set aside. These can be made up to 1 day in advance, store in an airtight container at room temperature.
To make the Caesar salad: Mince the garlic and anchovy fillets together. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top and then use the side of your knife to create a paste with the garlic and anchovies on your cutting board. Transfer this paste to a medium bowl and add in the anchovy oil, lemon zest and juice, egg yolk, and mustard. Whisk to combine and then slowly stream in the olive oil, while whisking until you have a thick, emulsified dressing. Whisk in the grated Parmesan. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Add the romaine to a large bowl. Season the greens with a pinch of salt, tossing to evenly combine. Then add some of the dressing and toss until evenly coated. Taste one of the greens and add more salt if needed. Add the salad to a serving bowl, top with the homemade croutons and shredded Parmesan.