My entire extended family is in love with Caesar salad. My father-in-law can’t fathom why a restaurant wouldn’t have this “staple” dish on their menu. If he doesn’t see it listed on a menu, he’ll ask, even if it’s a Chinese restaurant. I’ve frequently made this version for him, which he loves. A champagne or Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with this course.

Ingredients

For croutons

• 1 pound round sour dough bread, cut into ¾” cubes
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, mashed
• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon flaked salt (such as Maldon)

For dressing

• 1 clove garlic, mashed
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ½ tablespoons anchovy paste
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• Dash of hot pepper sauce
• Freshly ground pepper

For salad

• 3 hearts of romaine, washed and ripped into small bite size pieces
• Extra Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

For croutons

1. Preheat over to 250°F. Mix all Ingredients (except bread) into a large bowl, Add bread cubes and mix to coat. Place on baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes until dried and crisp. After 30 minutes, if not done, turn off oven and leave bread in oven to finish drying out.

For dressing

1. In a medium bowl, combine garlic and lemon juice. Let stand for 2 minutes to mellow garlic.
2. Whisk in anchovies, Worcestershire, mayonnaise and yolks.
3. Add olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Add cheese and pepper.
4. Put in 1-4 dashes of hot sauce. More can be used if you want a stronger bit.

For salad

1. In a large bowl, place cut-up hearts of romaine. Add dressing and coast all pieces.
2. Serve on salad plates. Top with croutons. Sprinkle additional cheese and cracked pepper over the top as desired.