There are a million Caesar salad recipes out there, but this is the one I keep coming back to. The dressing has plenty of garlic, lots of cheese, and enough punch that it can stand up to grilled meats and anything coming off the BBQ.
The dressing can easily be made a day ahead, which makes this one of my favourite sides when entertaining. Toss it at the last minute and dinner is basically done.
Ingredients
- 2 romaine lettuce heads, torn into pieces
- 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ shallot, peeled
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 1 anchovy (optional)
- 1 egg yolk (optional)
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- ⅓ cup grated aged white cheddar
- ½ cup high-quality or homemade croutons
- 4 slices bacon (optional)
Method
Wash the lettuce in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
Add the garlic, shallot, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, Tabasco, anchovy and egg yolk (if using) to a container. Add the olive oil, vinegar and cheeses.
Use a hand blender to emulsify the dressing, about 10–15 seconds. This will also finely puree the garlic and shallot.
If using bacon, cook until crisp, let cool and break into pieces.
Place the lettuce, croutons and bacon into a large salad bowl.
Add the dressing and toss until the lettuce is coated. You may not need all of the dressing, and any leftover dressing can be refrigerated.
Finish with a little extra freshly ground pepper and, if you enjoy them, a few anchovies on top.