Engine 4's Caesar Salad

This recipe serves 10. A smaller amount is demonstrated in the video.

Ingredients

  • 3 large heads of romaine lettuce, washed, dried & cubed
  • Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on finished salad

For Croutons (best if made a day ahead)

  • 1 lb loaf of day-old sourdough bread, cubed
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat breadcrumbs but not saturate them)
  • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp dried basil
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp Cajun spice

For Dressing

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (drizzle in)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Special Equipment

  • blender
  • cookie sheet

How-to

Bake Croutons

  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. Slice day-old sourdough bread into ¾" cubes
  3. Toss bread cubes with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, dried basil, salt, garlic powder, and Cajun spice
  4. Spread cubes in a flat layer on a cookie sheet
  5. Bake croutons for 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown
  6. Note: Croutons are best if made a day before, and stored in an airtight container

Make Salad Dressing

  1. In a food processor or blender, add chopped garlic, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, anchovies and lemon
  2. Slowly mix ingredients together, while adding the olive oil one tablespoon at a time
  3. Add Parmesan cheese and mix. Consistency should be thick, so that the lettuce is well-coated

Assemble

  1. Add the dressing to the cleaned, sliced and well-dried romaine lettuce
  2. Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese
  3. Toss well with croutons