Salad: Classic Tableside Caeser

Ingredients

Croutons

• 1 small loaf ciabatta bread, torn into 3/4-inch cubes • 1/2 cup olive oil • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Dressing • 1 large egg yolk • 2 fillets salted anchovy, rinsed • 1 head roasted garlic, cloves picked out • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan • 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salad

• 4 heads baby romaine lettuce, trimmed and leaves removed

Method

• Shaved Parmesan, for garnish • For the croutons: Preheat a convection oven to 400 degrees F or a regular oven to 425 degrees F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. • Toss the bread in the oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread on the lined sheet pan • and toast, turning the pan halfway through, until evenly golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the croutons to a bowl and toss with the Parmesan. Allow to cool, then place in an airtight container. • For the dressing: Combine the egg yolk, anchovies, roasted garlic and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using the back of a spoon, mash the ingredients together to form a uniform paste. Add the mustard and Worcestershire and continue to blend until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan and whisk together. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking to emulsify.

Add the vinegar and lemon juice and whisk until combined. Adjust the consistency with up to 1/2 cup water if needed. Season to taste.

Pair with a slightly chilled Pinot Noir.

The salad’s creation is generally attributed to restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in Mexico and the United States.[2] His daughter Rosa recounted that her father invented the salad at his restaurant Caesar’s (at the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana, Mexico) when a Fourth of July rush in 1924 depleted the kitchen’s supplies.