Cat's Caesar Salad

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shaved (to garnish)
• kosher salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped, washed and thoroughly dried
• 1 cup crouton

Recipe

• 1 (this first step can be done ahead of time if you wish to prepare this tableside.) rub the inside of a large wooden caesar salad bowl with the cut side of the garlic clove. remove the garlic clove to a cutting board and mash with a pinch of salt and a little olive oil until it becomes a rough paste.
• 2 in a large wooden caesar salad bowl (or mixing bowl), add garlic paste, anchovy fillets, egg yolk, dijon mustard, lemon juice, water and olive oil. whisk all ingredients together quickly until the dressing blends and thickens with a slightly glossy color.
• 3 whisk in the grated parmesan cheese. add salt and pepper to taste. if preparing ahead, refrigerate dressing until ready to use. refrigerated dressing may harden up. if this happens, microwave it for 5 seconds and shake well before using.
• 4 to assemble the salad, make sure romaine lettuce is roughly torn medium pieces and thoroughly dry. (wet lettuce will make salad dressing runny.) add lettuce to the wooden salad bowl and pour dressing over salad. add dressing, a half at a time, tossing to coat the leaves. don’t add so much dressing that the salad is runny. all leaves should be just coated. toss salad well. (if you’re preparing tableside, add lettuce to dressing you’ve just made in the bowl. be sure to have plenty of lettuce for your dressing!).
• 5 add croutons and shaved parmesan and toss salad to complete. optionally, croutons and parmesan shavings may be added to each bowl individually after serving.
• 6 note: using raw eggs carries with it a health risk. i like to use fresh, high quality eggs. if you’re concerned, you can also coddle the egg.