Skillet Caesar Salad Roast Chicken

Oops… I posted the skillet dessert before the skillet dinner. Now you know that I always plan dessert first. 😉

I loved the way this dish was originally described: “The only thing better than a roast chicken and a Caesar salad is a Caesar salad served with a chicken smothered in Caesar dressing and roasted until the garlic, anchovies, and mustard become deeply caramelized and flavorful.” Wow.

This fabulous, full-flavored roast chicken is from Bon Appétit magazine’s “Healthyish” column- one of my favorites. The recipe is by Molly Baz. Plating the carved chicken in the warm skillet kept the meal at a perfect temperature for serving.

For our family, the croutons were the absolute highlight. They brought a “grilled chicken Caesar salad” to the next level. 🙂 I made them using a pain au levain boule from a local bakery. I also incorporated additional romaine in the salad and garnished it with grated Parmesan. We ate the dish with roasted potatoes on the side.

Yield: Serves 4

• 8 anchovies, mashed to a paste
• 8 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 6 T mayonnaise, divided
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more
• 1 3 ½–4-lb. whole chicken or 4 chicken legs (thigh and drumstick; about 3 lb.)
• Kosher salt
• 8 medium shallots, unpeeled, halved lengthwise
• 1 to 2 lemons, divided
• 1 oz Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for garnish
• 4 oz country-style bread, torn into 1 ½” pieces (I used 1/4-loaf Pain au Levain boule)
• 2 to 3 romaine hearts, leaves separated, torn or sliced (I used 3 Artisan hearts)

1. Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450°, preferably on convection roast.
2. Whisk anchovies, garlic, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper in a small bowl.
3. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the anchovy mayo in another small bowl.
4. Pat chicken dry; season outside and inside all over with salt.
5. Arrange breast side up in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and tuck wings underneath.
6. Arrange shallots around (if using legs, nestle under and around); season with salt and pepper.
7. Brush remaining anchovy mayo all over chicken, making sure to get it into the nooks and crannies, then brush shallots with any leftover anchovy mayo.
8. Place chicken in oven so legs are facing toward the back (this is the hottest part of the oven and will help the legs cook before the breast dries out) and roast until some anchovy mayo and fat begin to drip onto shallots, about 15 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and, using tongs, turn shallots to coat in drippings. Return skillet to oven and continue to roast chicken, stirring shallots once or twice, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast registers 155°, about 35–55 minutes. (I used an oven probe.) If skin starts to get too dark on the top before chicken is done, tent area with foil, leaving the rest of the bird exposed. If using chicken legs, start checking at 30 minutes (a thermometer inserted right at the joint should register 160°).
10. Transfer chicken and shallots to a cutting board, leaving behind any juices and fat in skillet. If shallots need more time to soften and darken, roast a bit longer without chicken before proceeding. (I did not continue to cook the shallots.) Remove the shallot peels. Reserve skillet.
11. Reduce oven temperature to 400°.
12. Finely grate half of zest of 1 lemon into a large bowl; cut lemon in half and squeeze in juice.
13. Add reserved 1 tablespoon anchovy mayo, remaining 3 tablespoons mayo, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and whisk to combine, then stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
14. Add bread to reserved skillet with fat and turn to coat. Return skillet to oven and toast bread, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 12–15 minutes.
15. Transfer croutons to bowl with reserved dressing. Add romaine and gently toss until lettuce is well coated. Season salad with salt and pepper.
16. Slice remaining lemon into wedges.
17. Carve chicken and nestle back into skillet or transfer to a platter; arrange shallots and lemon wedges around. Serve the chicken with the salad. Garnish with grated Parmesan, if desired.

BLT Tacos

Why have I never thought of making a BLT taco before? Genius.

This quick and delicious weeknight dinner recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I cooked the bacon at a lower temperature, increasing the cooking time. I think that this method isn’t as messy. 🙂 I added avocado slices, used corn-flour hybrid tortillas, a Serrano instead of jalapeño chile, increased the lime juice, and used chipotle Tabasco in the mayonnaise. I also warmed the tortillas with steam in the microwave.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1 pound thick-cut bacon, about 10 slices
• 1 pint (2 cups) grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered (mixed colors are pretty here)
• 1 small Serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded or not, finely chopped
• 2-3 T cilantro, chopped
• 1 T fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 ½ teaspoons Cholula or other hot sauce, or to taste, plus more for serving (I used Chipotle Tabasco)
• 8 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas (I used corn-flour hybrid tortillas)
• Romaine lettuce leaves, sliced into bite-size pieces
• 1 avocado, sliced into eighths
• refried beans and rice, for serving, optional

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection. Lay bacon in an even layer in 2 9-13″ glass pyrex dishes or on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until browned and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plates and let cool. (Keep rendered fat for another use.)
2. While bacon is cooking, toss together tomatoes, chopped chile, cilantro, lime juice and a large pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Taste and add more lime juice and salt, if needed.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and hot sauce.
4. Place tortillas in a tortilla warmer or medium bowl. Top with a damp paper towel and seal with a lid or plastic wrap. Microwave for 1 minute to warm.  (Alternatively, the tortillas can be warmed on the stove top: Lay a clean kitchen towel in a medium bowl. Using the open flame from a stovetop gas burner (or in a skillet placed on an electric burner), warm and lightly char tortillas, 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Transfer warmed tortillas to a towel-lined bowl, and cover with towel to keep warm while you finish remaining tortillas.)
5. Serve, letting people make their own tacos by layering bacon, salsa, lettuce, spicy mayonnaise and avocado, on tortillas. Top with more hot sauce, if desired.

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.