Caesar Salad

A great Caesar salad recipe gets its swagger from a great Caesar dressing recipe. Squeamish about raw egg yolks and anchovies? Sorry. Yolks are what give richness to the emulsion, while anchovies provide a briny blast (and that whole umami thing).

Dressing:
6 fillets anchovies, packed in oil, drained
2 large cloves garlic
sea salt
2 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
¾ tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
black pepper, freshly ground

Croûtons:
3 cups country bread, with crusts, torn into 1" pieces
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Lettuce:
3 romaine hearts, leaves separated

Garnish:
Parmesan cheese, shaved

For the Dressing:
Chop together anchovy fillets, garlic and pinch of salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in egg yolks, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed, and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice, freshly squeezed, if desired.

For the Croûtons:
Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Tearing, not cutting the bread ensures nooks and crannies that catch the dressing and add texture. Toss bread with olive oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden, 10-15 minutes.

For the Lettuce:
Use whole leaves; they provide the ideal mix of crispness, surface area, and structure.

For the Cheese:
Caesars crowned with a mound of grated Parmesan may look impressive, but all that clumpy cheese mutes the dressing. Instead, use a vegetable peeler to thinly shave a modest amount on top for little salty bursts.

Assembly:
Skip the tongs. Use your hands to gently toss the lettuce, croûtons and dressing, then top off with the shaved Parmesan.

Makes 6 servings.