Whole Leaf Caesar Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Preparing the salad components:
• You will probably need 2 large heads of romaine for 3 people - or use a commercially prepared package of "romaine hearts," if they appear fresh and fine. From a large head remove the outside leaves until you get down to the cone where the leaves are 4 to 7 inches in length - you'll want 6 to 8 of these leaves per serving. Separate the leaves and wash them carefully to keep them whole, roll them loosely in clean towels, and keep refrigerated until serving time. (Save the remains for other salads - fortunately, romaine keeps reasonably well under refrigeration.
• To flavor the croutons, crush the garlic clove with the flat of a chef's knife, sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and mince well. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil on the garlic and mash again with the knife, rubbing and pressing to make a soft purée.
• Scrape the purée into the frying pan, add another tablespoon of oil, and warm over low-medium heat. Add the croutons and toss for a minute or two to infuse them with the garlic oil, then remove from the heat. (For a milder garlic flavor, you can strain the purée though a small sieve into a pan before adding the extra croutons. Discard the bits of garlic.)
• To coddle the egg, bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer. Pierce the large end of the egg with a pushpin to prevent cracking, then simmer for exactly 1 minute.
• Mixing and serving the Caesar:
• Dress the salad just before serving. Have ready all the dressing ingredients and a salad fork and spoon for tossing.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the romaine leaves and toss to coat, lifting the leaves from the bottom and turning them towards you, so they tumble over like a wave. Sprinkle them with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper, toss once or twice, then add the lemon juice and several drops of the Worcestershire, and toss again. Taste for seasoning, and add more, if needed.
• Crack the egg and drop it right on the romaine leaves, then toss to break it up and coat the leaves. Sprinkle on the cheese, toss briefly, then add the croutons (and the garlicky bits in the pan, if you wish) and toss for the last time, just to mix them into the salad.
• Arrange 6 or more leaves in a single layer on individual plates, scatter the croutons all around, and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Soak the anchovies in a bowl of water, 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry, then finely chop and mash to form a paste; set aside.
• Make the croutons: Combine the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; cook, swirling the pan occasionally, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into a medium bowl. Add the bread cubes and parsley and toss; season with salt and pepper. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes; let cool.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Gently lower the egg into the water, then immediately remove the pan from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Drain and rinse the egg under cold water; crack into a large bowl. Whisk in the anchovy paste, the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and mustard powder until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified; season with salt and pepper.
• Add the lettuce, croutons and about one-third of the Parmesan to the bowl with the dressing and gently toss. Divide among plates and top with the remaining Parmesan.

Steps:

• Put the whole romaine leaves in a work bowl. Add enough of the dressing to coat the leaves and toss well. Arrange the leaves in a serving bowl with their tips up, and intersperse the pizzetta's, if desired. Sprinkle the Parmesan over all.
• Place the egg yolk, mustard, anchovies, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce into a salad bowl. Blend with whisk and then add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until it is fully incorporated. If the dressing stops gets too thick, add the warm water and then continue until all the oil is added. Add the cheese and continue to blend.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Stir the garlic into the tapenade. Separate the ready made/store bought pizza dough into 1 1/2-ounce pieces and roll them out to 1/8-inch (if possible, roll out to desired thickness by using a pasta machine). Cover the top of the rolled out dough with olive paste and garlic mixture. Sprinkle the thyme on top. Lay the pecorino on top of pizzetta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bake the pizza for 15 minutes or until light brown (a cracker like thinness and texture). Let cool for about 10 minutes, and serve.

Steps:

• Combine anchovy fillets with garlic in a food processor and pulse several times to form a paste. Process mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, half-and-half, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce with anchovy mixture until dressing is creamy. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more before serving.

Steps:

• Mash garlic with anchovies in a large salad bowl. Whisk lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, egg yolk, and Worcestershire sauce into the anchovy mixture until mixture is smooth and creamy. Gradually whisk olive oil into the dressing, pouring the oil into the dressing in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Gently mix romaine lettuce and Parmesan cheese into the dressing until thoroughly coated; serve salad topped with croutons.