Classic Caesar Salad 101 Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, toss bread cubes with remaining crouton ingredients. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toast croutons until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• In a large wooden bowl, using a wooden spoon, mash halved garlic cloves to a fine paste. Stir in egg yolks and Dijon mustard. Add anchovies, and grind to a paste. Add lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Slowly stir in olive oil until dressing is creamy.
• Add lettuce to bowl, and toss to coat leaves thoroughly with dressing and grated Parmesan. Sprinkle croutons over salad, and serve topped with Parmesan shavings.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the butter and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the cubes of bread, and toss until coated. Sprinkle with salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; toss until evenly coated. Spread the bread in a single layer on a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet. Bake until croutons are golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Place the garlic, anchovy fillets, and salt in a wooden salad bowl. Using two dinner forks, mash the garlic and anchovies into a paste. Using one fork, whisk in the pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and egg yolk. Whisk in the olive oil.
• Chop the romaine leaves into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Add the croutons, romaine, and cheese to the bowl, and toss well. If you wish, grate extra cheese over the top. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Mash garlic with anchovies in a large salad bowl. Whisk lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, egg yolk, and Worcestershire sauce into the anchovy mixture until mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually whisk olive oil into the dressing, pouring the oil into the dressing in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Gently mix romaine lettuce and Parmesan cheese into the dressing until thoroughly coated; serve salad topped with croutons.

Steps:

• 1. The Dressing
• A great Caesar salad gets its swagger from a great dressing. Squeamish about raw egg yolks and anchovies? Sorry. Yolks are what give richness to the emulsion, while anchovies provide a briny blast (and that whole umami thing). Here's our go-to recipe: Chop together 6 anchovy fillets packed in oil, 1 small garlic clove, and a pinch of kosher salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in 2 large egg yolks*, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil, then 1/2 cup vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Can be made 1 day ahead.
• 2. The Croutons
• Make your own. Tearing, not cutting, the bread ensures nooks and crannies that catch the dressing and add texture. Toss 3 cups torn 1" pieces country bread with 3 tablespoons olive oil on a baking sheet; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake at 375°F, tossing occasionally, until golden, 10-15 minutes.
• 3. The Lettuce
• Use whole leaves from 3 romaine hearts to feed 6 people. They provide the ideal mix of crispness, surface area, and structure.
• 4. The Cheese
• Caesars crowned with a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing. Instead, use a vegetable peeler to thinly shave a modest amount on top for little salty bursts.
• 5. The Assembly
• Skip the tongs. Use your hands to gently toss the lettuce, croutons, and dressing, then top off with the shaved Parm.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add bread cubes, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. Cook until golden. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Place the garlic, anchovy fillets, and salt in a large wooden salad bowl. Using two dinner forks, mash to form a paste. Using one fork, whisk in the lemon juice, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and egg yolk. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to whisk until emulsified. Add 1 cup grated cheese; set aside.
• Cut the lettuce into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces and add to the bowl along with the croutons, and toss well. If desired, garnish with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the croutons: Put the olive oil and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter is completely melted add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Carefully swirl the pan to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the garlic to infuse the oil mixture.
• Put the bread pieces on a baking sheet. Evenly pour the garlic mixture over the bread and toss to coat. Spread the bread in a single layer and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the bread halfway through cooking to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with black pepper and Parmesan. Set aside to cool.
• For the salad: Soak the anchovies in a small bowl of water for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain and pat dry. Finely chop the anchovies and garlic, then use the side of your knife to mash them to a paste.
• Add the anchovy paste, egg yolk, Dijon mustard and lemon juice to a large bowl and whisk to combine. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Stir in 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan. If needed, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time to thin the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the lettuce and croutons to a large bowl and gently toss with the dressing until coated. Top with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Soak the anchovies in a bowl of water, 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry, then finely chop and mash to form a paste; set aside.
• Make the croutons: Combine the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; cook, swirling the pan occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a medium bowl. Add the bread cubes and parsley and toss; season with salt and pepper. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes; let cool.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Gently lower the egg into the water, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the egg under cold water; crack into a large bowl. Whisk in the anchovy paste, the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and mustard powder until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified; season with salt and pepper.
• Add the lettuce, croutons and about one-third of the Parmesan to the bowl with the dressing and gently toss. Divide among plates and top with the remaining Parmesan.

Steps:

• Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet large enough to hold the bread in a single layer and turn heat to medium. When oil shimmers, add bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper; brown lightly on all sides, adding a little more oil if necessary. Remove and set aside.
• Rub the inside of a salad bowl with the garlic clove; discard it. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Pierce a tiny hole in the broad end of each egg with a pin or needle and boil them for 60 to 90 seconds; they will just begin to firm up. Crack them into the salad bowl, being sure to scoop out the white that clings to the shell.
• Beat eggs with a fork. Gradually add lemon juice and 6 tablespoons oil, beating all the while. Stir in anchovies and Worcestershire. Taste and add salt if needed, and lots of pepper. Toss well with lettuce; top with Parmesan and croutons; toss again at table. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Make the classic caesar dressing: On a cutting board, chop the garlic and anchovies together to combine. Sprinkle with the salt. Use the side of a knife to chop and mash the mixture into a smooth, homogeneous paste. Transfer the paste to a medium bowl.
• Add the egg yolks and mustard to the bowl with the garlic anchovy paste. Whisk until the egg yolks lighten in color and become airy, about 2 minutes. While whisking continuously, drizzle in the vegetable and olive oils until the dressing is thick and emulsified. Whisk in the lemon juice; the dressing should loosen a bit but will still be thick enough to liberally coat the back of a spoon and should fall in ribbons when drizzled. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, black pepper, and salt to taste. The dressing will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• In a medium bowl, toss the torn bread with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Scatter across a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy on the outside but still tender on the inside.
• Assemble the salad: On a serving platter or in a large bowl, arrange half of the little gem leaves and season with a pinch of salt. Drizzle with ⅓ cup of the dressing and top with half of the Parmesan the croutons. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another layer, adding more dressing to taste. Season with pepper. If desired, top with the protein of your choice, such as chicken, salmon, or shrimp. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy!