Description

How to make a classic Caesar Salad with homemade Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese and hand-torn croutons.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Salad

2 medium sized heads of romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and dried (see notes)
1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian, flat leaf, parsley
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus some shaved for the top.

For the Croutons

3 cups torn or cubed bread, day old works best
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove pressed

For the Dressing

2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 anchovies (or 3 teaspoons anchovy paste) (see notes)
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional but elevates lemony tang)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons dijon
1/4 teaspoon worchesterchire sauce (optional! gives more depth)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil (see notes)

Instructions

Make the croutons

Hand tear or cut bread. Toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350, for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden. (see notes)

Make the Dressing

Smash together garlic and salt until broken down and juicy.
Add anchovies, mashing together with the garlic until a paste forms.
Whisk in egg yolks, lemon juice and zest, dijon, worchestshire, and black pepper. Combine thoroughly.
Dribble olive oil into the mixture whisking all the while, little by little until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.

Make the Salad

Place chopped romaine in a bowl.
Add dressing (you may not need all of it), grated parmesan, parsley and a couple handfuls of croutons.
Toss together.

Garnish with more croutons, parmesan shavings, and lemon slices. Add black pepper and salt to taste.

Keep sealed in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

Notes

Spin lettuce in a salad spinner to dry. This can be done hours before. After spinning you can just put the whole spinner in the fridge. The lettuce gets extra crisp this way. Alternatively, without a spinner, wash whole leaves before cutting, lay on a clean towel and blot dry. Store in a plastic bag or container with a towel to absorb any moisture.

Baking time for croutons will vary depending on the bread you use, a tighter crumb will take longer.

Anchovy paste has other ingredients added. For pure anchovy flavor use the filets, but either will work.

Substitute 1/4 cup mayo for egg yolks.

Extra virgin olive oil can sometimes give a bitter tang. If you do not prefer this, use regular olive oil. Or half extra virgin and half a neutral oil (such as avocado).

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 376
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 1543.4 mg
Fat: 21.7 g
Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
Carbohydrates: 32.4 g
Fiber: 3.2 g
Protein: 14.1 g
Cholesterol: 66.6 mg

Keywords: classic Caesar salad, Caesar salad recipe