Cae Sal

SERVES: 4

If you only knew the things I’d do for a Cae Sal. Or perhaps you already do. To call it my brand would be to grossly underrepresent what this salad means to me. It is the Greatest Salad of All Time (GSOAT). I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about, talking about, eating, considering, and developing what I believe is the platonic ideal of a Caesar salad-crisp, cold romaine hearts, a thick peppery, garlicky dressing, lots and lots of Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons, and enough lemon to make it all pop. And while technically you are going to have to make a mayonnaise from scratch in preparing this dressing, it’s actually super-duper easy and not as prone to failure as you might think. Trust.

Active Time: 12 Mins

Total Time: 20 Mins

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Produce

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• 4 romaine hearts

Pantry

• 1/2 crusty baguette (about 6 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dairy

• 2 large eggs
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup), plus more for serving

1. Make the croutons:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tear 1/2 of a baguette into irregular 1-inch pieces; you should end up with about 3 cups of torn bread. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few good cranks of black pepper until well coated. Bake until deeply golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool.

2. Make the Dressing

• You are about to make mayonnaise by hand, BUT it’s not as hard as it sounds. The mustard, garlic, and anchovies that get mixed into the egg yolk will help support the emulsion.
• Separate the yolks and whites of 2 large eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl (where you’ll build your dressing) and reserve the whites for another use.
   
• Finely grate 1 garlic clove and the zest of about half of a lemon into the large bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon.
   
• Finely chop 4 anchovies, then mash them to a paste, using the side of a chef’s knife until homogeneous; add to the large bowl.

  Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and whisk everything to combine. Place a damp kitchen towel underneath the bowl to stabilize it so it doesn’t slip ‘n’ slide all over the place as you whisk in the oil.