I’m a big snob when it comes to caesar salads. I’m of the school that they should be pungent and full of anchovies and garlic and I think it’s a sin that the most common form of caesar dressing out there is a bland white goo more resemblant of mayonnaise than salad dressing. I’m pretty sure this snobbery dates back to when I worked at this amazing little Italian restaurant in Glacier, Washington called Milano’s. They barely have a website. They don’t need one, their food is that good. They used to make every single caesar salad to order. Yes, that’s right, to order. Which, in retrospect is probably what made all their dishes so amazing. Everything was super fresh — and it spoiled me forever when it comes to the caesar. I never order a caesar salad when I’m out since I know all will pale in comparison. When I left my many years of waitressing there, I didn’t have the foresight to get their recipe, but I’ve been tweaking the ingredients and proportions of the following for a while now to get it just how I like it. If you’re a fellow caesar snob, hopefully you’ll like this too. Add the dressing to whatever your favorite leafy green is for salads. Mine has been kale of late, and I love the combo. The anchovy croutons are a bonus addition if you want to put in a little extra effort (and I mean little, they really take no time at all). Enjoy!
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4-5 anchovy fillets (about a half a tin)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbs. dijon mustard
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- parmesan cheese to taste
- 1/3 a loaf french bread
- 2 Tbs. oil drained from the anchovy tin
- 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Peel garlic and put in food processor with the anchovies. Blend. Add the rest of the ingredients up to the oil. Blend. Slowly add the olive oil while blending. Mix well with romaine, kale, or your green of choice. Top with freshly shaved or shredded parmesan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop the bread up into crouton sized pieces. Mix the oils in a large bowl. Toss the bread with the oils and add salt and pepper to taste. Spread on baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until crunchy.
