À la Sandy

Hold the anchovies for me, please!

You know how your taste buds change with age?  Things you hated as a kid, you acquire a taste for as an adult?  I always hoped this would happen with anchovies, but it never did.  I’ve tried soaking them in milk (this method takes the “edge” off them), but still, I don’t like them.  I also don’t make an “Authentic Caesar Salad,” where the Romaine leaves are left whole and you eat the salad with a fork and knife.

What I do love are Hass avocados! I started adding them to this salad years ago and now I can’t imagine a Caesar Salad without them.  I call this salad my California Caesar Salad with baked Parmesan Crisps!

California Caesar Salad for 4

2 heads Romaine lettuce – the outer leaves removed
1 Hass avocado, cubed
1/3 Cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Anchovy filets – soaked in milk  (Again, I don’t use them – I’ve tried to like Anchovies over the years, but it just ain’t happening)
Parmesan Crisps, recipe follows
Homemade croutons, recipe follows

Tear the Romaine into large pieces (unless you prefer the “authentic whole leaves” method), wash them well and spin them dry in a salad spinner.

Croutons

1 day old baguette, cut into cubes
1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
1-2 sprigs rosemary
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper – to taste

Slice the baguette and cut into cubes.  Heat a deep skillet.  Pour in the Olive oil and spread it around the pan, add the rosemary sprig.  Add the baguette cubes and toast them with the rosemary until they’re golden brown.  Remove the rosemary and add the sliced garlic and continue, until the garlic is golden brown.  Don’t add the garlic in the beginning, or it will burn.  Remove them from the heat and put them in a bowl or deep dish to cool.

At this point, I hide the croutons, because my incorrigible husband sneaks in the kitchen whenever he can and steals them!!!

Parmesan Crisps

1 Cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1 sheet Silpat or Parchment paper (I’ve used both and highly recommend Silpat over Parchment – they cook more evenly and will be much easier to remove with a spatula when cooked)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Shred the Parmesan Cheese and drop it in batches resembling a “cookies” onto the Silpat (see the pics)  Place in the HOT oven, on the middle rack and cook for 4-5 minutes, watching them carefully.  Remove from the oven and let them rest on the stove top for 3-minutes before removing them, so they can “firm” up.  With a spatula, gently remove the crisps to a cooling rack.  These can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge.

Dressing

If you have a small blender or mini food processor, this is real easy.  You can also prepare it in a small bowl, or mortar and pestle

1 clove garlic
1 large lemon, juiced
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon Anchovy  paste  ~ though, not for me
1 large egg, boiled for 1 1/2 minutes

Mince the garlic, either in the blender or bowl, mix in the lemon juice and Olive oil.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and Anchovy paste (if you like it)  Mix well and let it rest.  In a small pot, bring water to a boil.  Carefully drop the egg in and boil for 1 1/2 minutes.  Remove and run it under cold water to cool.  When you’re ready to toss the salad, pour the dressing through a strainer into a large salad bowl.  Break the egg in half and let the “watery” part out in the sink.  Pour the egg in the salad bowl and gently scrape the edges of the egg to remove the partially cooked whites into the bowl, as well.   With a whisk, vigorously beat the egg and dressing, until creamy.

Add the lettuce, freshly grated Parmesan, avocado and gently toss a couple times.  Add the croutons and toss some more, then serve with a Parmesan Crisp and Anchovy filets.  Cheers!