George's Caesar salad
One of the best things about my dad's Caesar is that it celebrates umami-enhancing ingredients. If you’d like to tweak the amount of garlic, anchovies, parmesan or lemon, feel free to do whatever works for you. One essential recommendation: be sure to make extra croutons – it's pretty much impossible not to eat most of them before they make it into the salad.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 oz. (½ can) finely chopped anchovy fillets
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, squeezed in a garlic press or finely minced
- ½ tsp. dry mustard
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
For the croutons:
- 2 cups day-old sourdough bread, cut into 1" cubes (or use your favorite prepared croutons)
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 pressed garlic cloves or ¼ tsp. garlic powder
For the salad:
- 2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and torn or cut into ¾" strips
- 2 coddled eggs (gently boil for 2 minutes, then scoop out of shells)
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender. Mix thoroughly to emulsify the dressing.
- To make the croutons, on a griddle or in a sauté pan over low heat, combine olive oil, butter and garlic. When they're gently sizzling, add bread cubes. Stir croutons with a spatula until golden brown.
- To make the salad, pour just enough dressing over lettuce so that the leaves glisten (don't let dressing collect at the bottom of the bowl). Toss thoroughly. Add coddled eggs, parmesan cheese and croutons. Toss again, season with freshly ground pepper – and enjoy with people you love!