Jim’s Famous Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 can flat fillet of anchovies ‒ drained
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 T worcestershire sauce
- 2 T high quality red wine vinegar
- 1 raw egg
- 4 T virgin olive oil
- 3 hearts of romaine lettuce ‒ torn or sliced into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Fresh Croutons:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 loaf sourdough French bread ‒ cut into small to medium cubes
Preparation:
To prepare the croutons, melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Once melted, sprinkle the garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper and mix well. Next add the bread cubes, making sure to coat all pieces well with the butter spice mixture. Heat at a very low temp, turning every so often until they start to crisp. The idea is not to brown but you want a crisp texture on the outside. Let cool.
To prepare the dressing, mash the chopped garlic in the bottom of a large wooden bowl using two dinner forks. Mash into the garlic the anchovy fillets, using two forks. Whisk in the lemon juice, Grey Poupon, worcestershire sauce and red wine vinegar. Whisk in the egg next until all is well combined and very liquid. Drizzle the olive oil in slowly, whisking as you add to emulsify the dressing.
When ready to serve, add the lettuce pieces to the bowl, mix well, adding the Parmesan cheese at the end, reserving a little for a dusting on top of the salad. Add a few croutons to the top and you're ready to serve. This can be individually plated or served family style in the large bowl. Serves 6-8.