CAESAR SALAD WITH CROUTON COLLARS

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Caesar Salad with Crouton Collars image

Provided by Bob Blumer - Host of Surreal Gourmet and Glutton for Punishment

Categories     main-dish

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (4-inch thick) sourdough or French baguette, cut into 2-inch thick slices
1/2 cup olive oil
1 egg yolk, coddled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 anchovies (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (the real stuff, not the dried stuff)
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup safflower oil, or olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 large heads romaine lettuce, outer leaves discarded, remaining inner leaves washed and thoroughly dried
4 crouton collars
1/2 cup freshly grated imported Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Using your fingers, pluck the doughy section of bread away from the crust leaving a 1/4-inch thick collar of crust. Place the crusty collars in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss and squish the bread like a sponge until the oil is evenly absorbed.
  • Place the oil-soaked crusty collars on a baking sheet, standing up so that the hot air can circulate through the "O", and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until collars are crispy and golden brown.
  • Place the egg, in its shell, in boiling water for 40 seconds. Remove, run under cold water for 15 seconds to stop the cooking process, then use as directed.
  • To make caesar salad dressing, add salt and pepper to the salad bowl (this creates a sandpaper-like base that will make the next steps easier). Using the back of a soup spoon, grind the garlic against the wall of the bowl until it becomes a paste. Then add the anchovies, and once again use the back of the spoon to grind it into a paste. Follow the same procedure, adding the Dijon, egg yolk, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, 1 at a time. Make sure that each ingredient is blended into a smooth paste with the previous ingredients before proceeding.
  • Add the oil and vinegar. Blend well.
  • To serve, stand lettuce leaves upright in crouton collars. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing overtop each serving, then sprinkle liberally with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
  • Note: If you don't have a rough wooden salad bowl, the dressing can be made (with some sacrifice) in a blender. Add the salt, pepper, garlic, anchovies, Dijon, lemon juice, Worcestershire and vinegar. Puree. Then add the oil and pulse a few times. Add the yolk and pulse a couple more times-just enough to blend it without causing the dressing to turn mayonnaisey.

Teodor Monev
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This salad is perfect for a summer party. It's light and refreshing, and the croutons add a nice crunch.


Love Jeffy
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I've made this salad several times for my family and they love it. It's a great way to get them to eat their vegetables.


Sajid Khalil
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This salad is a great way to use up leftover bread. I like to use a variety of breads, like sourdough, French bread, and Italian bread.


Mizan MAhmud
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I'm not a fan of anchovies, so I omitted them from the dressing. The salad was still delicious!


Djhu Djbh
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This salad is a bit pricey to make, but it's worth it for a special occasion. I like to use high-quality ingredients, like freshly grated Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons.


Paidamoyo Ndara
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I made this salad for a picnic and it was the perfect dish to transport. The dressing didn't wilt the lettuce and the croutons stayed crispy.


Mqelisi Ndebele
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This salad is a great way to sneak some extra vegetables into your diet. I like to add chopped cucumbers, carrots, and celery.


Amit Kushwaha
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I've never made croutons before, but this recipe made it so easy. They turned out perfectly crispy and golden brown.


Aisha Saleem
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This salad is so easy to make and it's always a hit. I love that I can use whatever greens I have on hand.


Karen Morgan
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I'm not a huge fan of Caesar salad, but this recipe changed my mind. The dressing was so light and flavorful, and the croutons were the perfect addition.


ozcat webby
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This salad is a great way to use up leftover chicken or steak. I also like to add some chopped bacon for extra flavor.


MTGD
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I've made this salad several times now and it's always a crowd-pleaser. The dressing is so creamy and flavorful.


Cayden Hartmann
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The croutons were a bit too hard for my taste, but otherwise this salad was perfect.


MD Robi Alom
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I made this salad for a potluck and it was a huge success! Everyone raved about how delicious it was.


Faith Guzman
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Easy to follow recipe and turned out great! My family loved it.


Rajesh Mazgain
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I've tried many Caesar salad recipes, but this one is by far the best. The flavors are perfectly balanced and the croutons are the perfect crispy addition.


OKAFOR JOSEPH
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This Caesar salad was a hit at my last dinner party! The crouton collars added a touch of elegance and the dressing was spot-on. Will definitely be making this again.