The Best Caesar Salad Recipe - By Koji Cooks

BEST CAESAR SALAD

Everyone loves a Caesar salad, a truly outstanding dish credited to Caesar Cardini from Tijuana. Over the years, I've developed numerous Caesar salad recipes, and this recent one is really good. It uses a 2-minute egg in the dressing, and whole romaine leaves, making it a delightful and elegant experience to enjoy with a knife and fork. I make my croutons with Italian sub rolls, they are crispy yet gentle on your teeth!

CAESAR - Recipe (serves 4)

washed dried romaine hearts, about 6-8 leaves per person

grated parmesan cheese

CROUTONS

1-2 Italian sub rolls cut in 1/2" cubes

2 tablespoons of olive oil

METHOD

Cover a baking pan with foil, toss the bread cubes with olive oil, and bake at 300 degrees in an oven set on convection for 10-15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Keep at room temperature.

DRESSING

Place 1 egg carefully into boiling water and cook for precisely 2 minutes, then cool it under cold running water.

6 anchovy fillets

1 garlic clove

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

6 dashes of hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

30 grinds of fresh black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese.

METHOD

Prepare the dressing using a food processor (or a blender). Crack the egg in half with a knife, then use a spoon to scoop it into the processor. Add the anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, and process until the mixture is fairly smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oils until the mixture emulsifies. Finally, pulse in the Parmesan cheese.

ASSEMBLY

In a large salad bowl, mix the croutons with 3-4 tablespoons of the dressing to coat them evenly, then let them sit for 10 minutes to absorb the dressing and soften slightly. Add the romaine leaves and several tablespoons of dressing, tossing gently with your hands to coat them without tearing the leaves. Add more dressing if you like, and serve with a generous sprinkle of extra parmesan cheese and a few grinds of fresh black pepper.