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Caesar Salad
Caesar Salad

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Caesar Salad

Online recipe · as published / commonly shared

4 servings · Prep 5 min · Cook 20 min · Cooling 10 min · Total 35 min

We wrote this recipe in the Joy of Cooking style. Every amount, time and step comes from the source's recipe card.

Caesar salad with a bold dressing and homemade croutons.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil with the minced garlic:

3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup (105 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

Whisk for 30 seconds. Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Press with the back of a spoon to extract as much oil as possible, leaving the garlic behind. Reserve the pressed garlic separately. Add to the garlic oil and toss to coat:

3 cups hearty bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Add 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese and toss again:

2 ounces finely grated parmesan cheese (about 1 cup), divided

Season to taste with:

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the croutons are pale golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons parmesan. Cool.

While the croutons bake, make the dressing. Use a cup that just fits the head of an immersion blender, or use a food processor. In the bottom of it, combine the pressed garlic, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and:

1 large egg yolk (see note)

1 tablespoon (15 ml) juice from 1 lemon

2 to 6 anchovies (see note)

1 teaspoon (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce (see note)

With the blender or processor running, slowly drizzle in until a smooth emulsion forms:

1/3 cup (80 ml) canola oil

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste generously with salt and pepper.

To serve, toss the lettuce with a few tablespoons of:

the dressing

Adding more if desired:

2 heads romaine lettuce, inner leaves only, washed and carefully dried, large leaves torn into smaller pieces, smaller leaves left intact

Once the lettuce is coated, add half of the remaining cheese and three-quarters of the croutons. Toss again. Transfer to a salad bowl and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and croutons. Serve.

Citations

Cookbook ancestor

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Reference: The Food Lab by J. Kenji López-Alt (2015). Publisher: Norton, 2015 edition, hardcover, ISBN 978-0393081084.

We put this together for personal use. See the citations. This is not a cookbook reprint.