CAESAR'S SALAD

Caesar's Salad image

Provided by Barnaby Dorfman

Time 30m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 lemon
2 tablespoons anchovy paste
2 romaine lettuce hearts
2 cups homemade croutons

Steps:

Croutons: This is one of the keys to this recipe. Start with about 1/2 loaf of a crusty Italian bread with a large cell-structure, e.g. big holes. I really like to use Pugliese or Ciabatta. Cut the bread into cubes of about 1 inch square and lay out onto a a cookie sheet and toast in the oven, preferably under a broiler. Turn the croutons about half-way through to ensure both sides get toasted. The most important thing here is to not over-toast -- you want croutons that are crunchy on the outside and still soft in the center.
Chop the Romaine hearts into sections about 1 inch by the width of each leaf.
Dressing: Squeeze the juice of the lemon into a mixing bowl and add the anchovy paste. I know some people are squeamish about anchovy paste, but the taste really isn't strong here. Ive served this to anchovy haters who loved it. Finally, the paste serves as an important emulsifier in this recipe. Using a whisk slowly drizzle the olive oil into the lemon-anchovy mixture while whisking, all the ingredients should come together in a thick, greenish brown dressing.
Assembly: Place romaine in a large salad bowl. Add still warm croutons on top of lettuce. Pour grated cheese on top of pile and then drizzle dressing on top of whole. Toss and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 507.9, Fat 38.4, SaturatedFat 9.6, Cholesterol 31.8, Sodium 1077.9, Carbohydrate 25.2, Fiber 8.6, Sugar 3.7, Protein 20.8