SIMPLE, SCRUMPTIOUS CAESAR SALAD WITH QUICK GARLIC CROUTONS

Simple, Scrumptious Caesar Salad With Quick Garlic Croutons image

There are many great Caesar salad recopies out there, and I really wasn't interested in another, until I made this last night. It was great! COOKS NOTE: If you like anchovies like we do, I added a teaspoon of anchovies paste to the dressing. Also, I like to add grilled shrimp, salmon or chicken to make this a dinner meal. From: Pam Anderson as printed in the SJ Mercury News. Please note: this is an adopted recipe and I hope to make it soonest. If you make it before I do, I would appreciate feedback, Thanks ! ZWT REGION: United States of America.

Provided by kiwidutch

Categories Vegetable

Time 20m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups baguette or 2 cups Italian bread
1 pinch salt
3 romaine lettuce hearts, about 10 generous cups (remove any dark green outer leaves and reserve for another use)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Steps:

To make croutons: Heat large skillet over low heat. With motor running, drop garlic cloves through feeder tube of food processor to mince. (A blender works as well.) Scrape down sides of bowl and add oil through feeder tube. Continue to process so that garlic releases its flavor into oil, about 30 seconds. Strain garlic from oil through a fine-mesh strainer; reserve half of garlic for dressing and set aside remaining half for another use. You should have about 3 tablespoons of garlic oil.
Raise heat under skillet to medium. Place bread cubes in medium bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over bread, along with a big pinch of salt; toss to coat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; toss again. Add bread cubes to hot skillet and toast, turning cubes and shaking pan often, until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Return croutons to bowl and set aside to cool while preparing salad.
To prepare salad: Cut off bottom 1 1/2 to 2 inches of core from bottom of each romaine heart. Separate heart into individual leaves. Put leaves in large bowl.
Whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Worcestershire and reserved garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle lettuce with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss lightly, carefully, and thoroughly so that lettuce is evenly coated with oil. (Clean hands work well.).
Drizzle lemon mixture over lettuce; toss again. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan over greens; toss again. Sprinkle croutons over salad, toss, and serve, sprinkling each portion with a little more Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 464.3, Fat 37.2, SaturatedFat 6, Cholesterol 7.9, Sodium 506.4, Carbohydrate 28.4, Fiber 10.4, Sugar 7.2, Protein 9.8