Classic Caesar Salad with Bagna Cauda Crumbles

forget the croutons, seriously

what you need:

wooden salad bowl (ideally)

for the dressing

1 medium garlic clove (roughly chopped)

10 capers

1 tbsp of dijon mustard

1 tsp anchovy paste

1 egg yolk

Few dashes of Worcestershire

juice of 1/2-1 lemon (depending on juiciness)

1/4 cup of olive oil

romaine or kale

for the crumbles

stale sourdough (I like to rip into small chunks and leave out overnight)

2-3 anchovies, chopped

1 large clove of garlic, grated

zest of one lemon

olive oil

what you do:

add garlic and capers to the bottom of a wooden bowl. Using the back of a fork, mash the garlic + capers against the bowl until a paste forms. (this takes a bit of work and patience, so stick with it until the two ingredients come together). Add mustard and anchovy paste then, using the fork, stir to combine. Add egg yolk and a few dashes of Worcestershire; stir to combine. Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Finally, mixing constantly, drizzle olive oil into the sauce to emulsify and form a smooth, creamy dressing.

next, the fun part. It’s time to taste and adjust. Sample the dressing and see what it needs. A few ideas:

-too spicy? (from the garlic/ mustard) add a dash or two more of Worcestershire or anchovy paste which brings a salty, savoriness

- tasting a bit flat? add more lemon juice to add brightness or another squeeze of mustard to up the spiciness

-too add volume, mix in more olive oil (making sure to stir constantly)

this recipe makes enough for a large caesar salad that serves 8-10 people. If you are serving a smaller crowd, spoon some of the dressing out of the bowl and save in the fridge for next time.

I like to make my caesar using freshly chopped, washed, and dried romaine. You can also use kale, but make sure to massage with a pinch of kosher salt and drizzle of EVOO for 2-3 mins to soften the leaves before dressing.

Add stale sourdough to a food processor and pulse until you are left with crumbles (make sure the bread is very dry or this will not work, toast in the oven for a few mins if still soft). Add a few tbsp of olive to a frying pan and heat over medium. When hot, add anchovies and toast for about a minute (they should sizzle immediately). Add garlic and stir for 30 more seconds. Mix in ~1/2 c of sourdough crumbles. Allow to toast, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 mins until golden brown. Taste and salt as needed (the anchovies will add a decent amount of salt)!

Sprinkle crumbles over your salad after the greens have been dressed. Top with freshly grated parm and serve.

ENJOY!