Caesar Salad

Ingredients

• 2 large heads romaine lettuce
• 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cups cubed day-old bread
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Method

1. Fry the bread cubes in a little olive oil over medium heat, turning often, until golden and crisp all over. Drain them and salt lightly.
2. Mash the anchovies and garlic to a paste with the side of a knife.
3. Whisk the paste with the egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard and Worcestershire, then add the olive oil a few drops at a time at first, whisking constantly, until the dressing thickens and emulsifies.
4. Stir in half the Parmesan and the pepper. Taste before adding salt — the anchovies and cheese carry a lot.
5. Tear the romaine into large pieces, keeping only crisp inner leaves.
6. Toss the leaves with enough dressing to coat lightly, add the croutons and the rest of the Parmesan, and serve at once.
7. For a chicken Caesar, season a boneless breast, grill or pan-sear it until it reads 165°F at the thickest point, rest it five minutes and slice it over the dressed leaves.

Notes