Simple Caesar Salad

No anchovies… No raw egg… This Caesar salad dressing is made with everyday pantry staples and is absolutely delicious!

My friend brought this salad for a special lunch at my house and I have made it several times since. My family is addicted. 🙂 The recipe is from RealSimple.com. I added salt and pepper to taste. I usually double the recipe as it keeps well in the refrigerator in a jar- always ready for the next salad!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 4 to 5 slices sourdough bread, cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for shaving or grating over the finished salad
• 1 (12-ounce) package romaine hearts (3 hearts)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat oven to 350°F. (I used my toaster oven!)
2. Toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Set aside to cool.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and Parmesan until well blended. Taste an adjust seasonings as desired. (I place it in a jar and shake to combine.)
4. Remove any wilted outer leaves from romaine hearts and slice. Wash and spin dry.
5. Toss washed romaine with croutons and dressing. Top with Parmesan shavings (or grated Parmesan) and season with freshly ground pepper.

One Year Ago:

• Roasted Zucchini with Thyme

Two Years Ago:

• Tzatziki
• Mushroom, Leek, & Wild Rice Soup

If you like this you may also like:

• Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing

My husband has a new favorite salad dressing! 🙂 I have made caesar salad dressing in the past but have stayed away from using a raw egg. What a difference it made to finally use one! This dressing is fabulous. We ate it on our beautiful CSA romaine and baby red salad kale. I topped the greens with finely grated Parmesan cheese and Trader Joe’s whole wheat Tuscan Pane transformed into rustic croutons.

This dressing was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff favorite” recipe, contributed by April Bloomfield and her book A Girl and Her Pig. The original recipe suggests serving it over Little Gem Lettuce or with grilled chicken – both sound wonderful as well. GREAT!

• 1/2 pound day-old rustic Italian bread, crusts discarded and bread torn into bite-size pieces (I used whole wheat Tuscan Pane from Trader Joe’s)
• 10 anchovy fillets, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus finely shredded cheese, for serving
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 18 ounces Romaine, Baby Red Salad Kale, and/or Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated and chilled

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the bread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and crisp; let the croutons cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the 10 anchovy fillets with the vinegar, mustard and garlic and puree until smooth. Add the egg and pulse until just incorporated. With the machine on, gradually drizzle in the vegetable oil until emulsified. Scrape the dressing into a bowl and stir in the 1/3 cup of grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the dressing with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled and thickened, at least 30 minutes.
3. In a very large bowl, toss the chilled lettuce leaves with half of the dressing, gently rubbing the dressing onto the leaves with your hands. (Save the remaining dressing for another salad or to serve with grilled chicken.) Arrange the dressed lettuce on a platter and scatter the croutons on top. Garnish with anchovy fillets, if desired, and serve right away, topping with or passing shredded Parmigiano cheese at the table.