Makes 1 cup of dressing Difficulty Level: Easy +
Dressing
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste – can be found at grocery stores, usually in the canned tuna isle
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¾ cup olive oil
Salad
- Romaine lettuce hearts – see below notes for amount
- 1/3 of a Baguette
- olive oil for brushing
- 1 clove of garlic, cut in half
- Parmigiano Reggiano, about 2 ounces or 1/3 cup
Notes:
- You typically will use more dressing if making individual servings. If making a full salad in a bowl, you most likely will not use all the dressing.
- The same is true with romaine lettuce. You will need about 3-4 hearts to make about 6-8 individual servings because you will use just the smaller leaves in the center. If making a full salad in a bowl, about 2 romaine hearts will serve 3-4 people as a side salad.
- Classic Caesar dressing is made with anchovy filets, mashed with a fork. It also does not have mayonnaise. The creaminess comes from a raw egg yolk.
Instructions:
Put all ingredients except the olive oil in a small bowl and whisk together until well combined. Drizzle the olive oil in a steady but slow stream while whisking constantly. This will help emulsify the dressing.
Alternatively, put all ingredients in a mason jar, cover with the lid and shake vigorously until all ingredients are combined.
Wash and separate the lettuce leave, using only the smaller leaves that will fit in your individual serving dish.
Slice the baguette in exaggerated bias cuts. Brush one side with a little olive oil and toast in the toaster until crunchy. Alternatively, toast them in a 375° oven for about 3-4 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, rub the oiled side of each slice with the glove of garlic. Remember, don’t go crazy! You just need to 2-3 strokes.
To assemble your individual salads, place about 1 tablespoon of dressing on the bottom. Pick 2-3 of the best leaves for each serving dish and dip the bottom in the dressing.
Put one slice of toasted baguette in each dish, and finish with some grated or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
Variations:
- As mentioned before, you can use this recipe and make a full salad in a bowl. You can still make the “croutons” the same way as described above and just crumble them into pieces in your salad
- Add a cut piece of grilled chicken breast for each serving.
Do Ahead:
- The dressing can be made up to 7-8 days ahead. In fact, when you are making it, why not make a double batch. That way you have fresh salad dressing all week.
- The lettuce can be washed, and leaves separated one day ahead. To keep them crisp, loosely wrap the leaves in a damp paper towel, put in a plastic bag and keep in the fridge. Do not close the top of the bag. Give the lettuce a chance to breathe.
- The croutons can be made up to one day ahead. If they get stale, pop them in the toaster to reheat.
