Caesar Salad with Homemade Croutons

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 400 g romaine lettuce, trimmed weight, leaves separated
• 120 g day-old French bread or baguette, cut into 1.5-2 cm cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml; approximately 13.5 g), for the croutons
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (approximately 0.8 g), for the croutons
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt (approximately 0.75 g), for the croutons
• 60 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated or shaved, divided: 30 g for the dressing and 30 g to finish
• 2 tablespoons regular mayonnaise (30 g), made with pasteurized egg
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (30 ml; approximately 27 g), for the dressing
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (30 ml)
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (10 g)
• 20 g oil-packed anchovy fillets, weighed after draining, approximately 4-6 fillets
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (5 ml)
• 1 small garlic clove (3 g), finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (approximately 1 g), divided
• 1-2 tablespoons cold water (15-30 ml), to thin the dressing

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F, or 170°C fan. Position a rack in the middle and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Wash the romaine under cool running water unless it is labeled ready-to-eat or prewashed. Spin very dry, then blot any remaining moisture with a clean towel. Tear or cut into large bite-size pieces and refrigerate while you prepare the other components.
3. Put the bread cubes on the tray. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon olive oil reserved for the croutons, then add the garlic powder, fine salt and half the black pepper. Toss thoroughly and spread in a single layer with a little space between the cubes.
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes, turning after about 7 minutes, until golden and dry at the edges. Start checking early if using small or very dry bread cubes. Leave on the tray to cool for at least 5 minutes; the croutons become crisper as they cool.
5. Finely chop the drained anchovies, then press them into a smooth paste with the flat side of a knife. Put them in a bowl with the grated garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until evenly combined.
6. Slowly whisk in the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Stir in the 30 g finely grated Parmesan reserved for the dressing and the remaining black pepper. Add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until the dressing coats a spoon but pours easily; use only as much of the listed water as needed.
7. Taste the dressing on a lettuce leaf rather than straight from the spoon. The anchovies, Parmesan and Worcestershire already supply salt. If the flavor seems too concentrated, loosen with a little more of the measured water rather than adding more mayonnaise.
8. Immediately before serving, place the cold, dry romaine in a large bowl. Add about three-quarters of the dressing and toss with clean tongs, lifting the leaves so they are lightly coated rather than crushed. Add the remaining dressing gradually and toss again.
9. Fold in half the cooled croutons and half the remaining Parmesan. Divide between four plates and scatter the rest of the croutons and Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately so the lettuce and bread stay crisp.