Caesar Salad

Name: Caesar Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 150 g (5 oz) day-old sourdough or ciabatta, torn into 2–3 cm pieces; 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 clove garlic, finely grated; 1 pinch fine sea salt; 1 egg yolk, from a fresh, pasteurized egg if you prefer; 4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained; 1 clove garlic; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 120 ml (½ cup) neutral oil, or half neutral, half olive oil; 30 g (⅓ cup grated) Parmesan, finely grated; black pepper, plenty; 2 romaine hearts, about 500 g, leaves separated, washed and very well dried; 30 g (1 oz) Parmesan, shaved with a peeler, to finish

Crisp romaine, garlicky croutons and a punchy anchovy-Parmesan dressing

Serves: 4
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Level: Easy

A great Caesar is all about the dressing: thick enough to cling to every leaf, sharp with lemon, deeply savory from anchovy and Parmesan. This version makes it in a minute with a stick blender, and bakes the croutons in olive oil so they shatter rather than chew.

Ingredients

Croutons

150 gday-old sourdough or ciabatta (5 oz)torn into 2–3 cm pieces
3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
1 clovegarlicfinely grated
1 pinchfine sea salt

Dressing

1egg yolkfrom a fresh, pasteurized egg if you prefer
4anchovy fillets in oildrained
1 clovegarlic
1 tspDijon mustard
2 tbsplemon juice
1 tspWorcestershire sauce
120 mlneutral oil (½ cup)or half neutral, half olive oil
30 gParmesan (⅓ cup grated)finely grated
black pepperplenty

Salad

2romaine heartsabout 500 g, leaves separated, washed and very well dried
30 gParmesan (1 oz)shaved with a peeler, to finish

Allergens: gluten, egg, fish, milk, mustard
Origin: Mexico (Tijuana)

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Toss the bread with the olive oil, grated garlic and salt on a sheet pan.
Bake, shaking the pan once, until deep golden and crisp all the way through, 12–15 minutes. Cool on the pan. 13 min
For the dressing, put the yolk, anchovies, garlic, mustard, lemon juice and Worcestershire in a tall jar or cup that just fits a stick blender. Blend 10 seconds to a paste.
With the blender running, pour in the oil in a slow stream until thick and creamy, about 30 seconds. Stir in the grated Parmesan and lots of pepper. Add 1–2 tsp water if it's too thick to coat a leaf; it should be like thin mayonnaise.
Tear or cut the romaine into large pieces into a wide bowl. Add about two-thirds of the dressing and toss with your hands until every leaf is coated.
Add the croutons and toss once more. Pile onto plates, top with shaved Parmesan, and serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Why it works

The egg yolk's lecithin emulsifies oil into tiny droplets, so the dressing is thick and clings rather than pooling. Anchovy, Parmesan and Worcestershire are all rich in glutamates, the source of the salad's savory depth; the anchovy melts in and doesn't taste fishy. Bone-dry leaves let the dressing stick; wet ones water it down.

Common mistakes

Wet lettuce: dry it thoroughly in a salad spinner or towels, or the dressing slides off.
Pale croutons: bake until truly golden and crisp to the center, or they go soggy in the dressing.
Dressing too early: toss right before serving.

Variations

Shortcut dressing: Mash the anchovies and garlic into 120 g Mayonnaise or good store-bought mayo with the lemon, mustard, Worcestershire and Parmesan.
Chicken Caesar: Top with sliced roast or grilled chicken, such as Crispy-Skin Chicken Thighs.
Grilled romaine: Halve the hearts, brush with oil and char cut side down in a hot pan for 2 minutes before dressing.

Make ahead and storage

Croutons keep 3 days airtight. The dressing keeps 3 days in the fridge.

Notes

Raw egg yolk: use pasteurized eggs for pregnant, elderly or immune-compromised guests, or use the mayonnaise shortcut with store-bought mayo.