Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

The most unique and different part of my Caesar Salad dressing is that I use Japanese mayonnaise. 

Author: Namiko Chen

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

For the croutons

• 5 " (13 cm) Ciabatta bread or any baguette
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tsp. chopped anchovy fillet (about 1 fillet) *
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar (or skip & add more lemon juice)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. Japanese mayonnaise (key ingredient!)
• ½ tsp. Kosher salt (1/4 tsp. table salt)
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• 1-2 hearts of romaine lettuce
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  

Instructions

For Homemade Croutons

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Crush the garlic clove (or finely mince it) into a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and mix well. Let the garlic infuse the olive oil for a few minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, slice the bread and cut into about ¾ inch (2 cm) cubes.
   
3. Add the bread cubes into the bowl and toss until the bread is lightly and evenly coated with the olive oil. Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
   
4. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn once halfway through cooking in order to brown all sides of the croutons. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the bread cubes (mine is about 15-20 minutes). Remove from oven and cool on wire rack completely. After cooling, use immediately, or store in an air-tight container/bag for up to 1 week.
   

For the Caesar Salad

1. In a large bowl, combine the dressing ingredients and whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. The dressing can be made one day in advance.
   
2. Cut the romaine lettuce into bite size pieces and wash them. Drain and dry thoroughly so that the dressing won’t be diluted.
   
3. Gently toss the lettuce and dressing, and then top off with the grated or shaved Parmesan cheese and croutons.
   

http://www.justonecookbook.com/caesar-salad/