“Caesar Salad”

Name: “Caesar Salad”
Yield: Makes 12 Servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 salt-packed anchovy fillets, deboned, soaked in milk to cover for 30 minutes, drained, and patted dry; 1 cup canola oil; 3 cups chiffonade, or long narrow strips, romaine lettuce (cut from the “hearts,” or small inner leaves); 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; 1 large egg yolk; Freshly ground white pepper; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 3½ ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut into ½-inch pieces; ⅔ cup milk; 2 large eggs; Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper; Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings for garnish (made with a vegetable peeler); 1½ tablespoons chopped garlic; Freshly ground black pepper; 12 Croutons (from a baguette), about ¼ inch thick; 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; Twelve 1-inch (or the diameter of the molds) Parmesan Crisps; 1½ tablespoons chopped shallots; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; Balsamic Glaze, in a squeeze bottle; ⅔ cup heavy cream

Parmigiano—Reggiano Custards with Romaine Lettuce, Anchovy Dressing, and Parmesan Crisps

Preparation info

Makes
12
Servings

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The French Laundry Cookbook

By Thomas Keller

Published 1999

About

I frequently return to classical preparations and look for a way to reinterpret them, using the standard elements but surprising you with them. Here those elements include a Parmesan custard set on croutons, a chiffonade of romaine, and a Parmesan crisp, with a classic Caesar dressing.

Ingredients

Anchovy Dressing

Makes 2 cups

1½ tablespoons chopped garlic
1½ tablespoons chopped shallots

Method

For the Anchovy Dressing

Pureé the garlic, shallots, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, and anchovies in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a mixer with the paddle attachment and beat in the egg yolk. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oils. Season with white pepper. Cover and refrigerate. There will be more dressing than you need for this recipe,