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Healthy dinner of grilled chicken, brown rice and Caesar salad

Classic Homemade Caesar Salad

How to make classic Caesar salad with homemade croutons and made-from-scratch Caesar dressing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Healthy Food, Soups & Salads
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

Caesar Salad Dressing

  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 4 fillets anchovy packed in oil
  • 1 teaspoon capers drained
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard smooth or grainy
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 whole egg room temperature
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shaved or grated
  • 1 head Romaine lettuce

Homemade Croutons

  • 4 cups Day old Italian or French bread cubed
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Caesar Salad Dressing

  • Place the garlic and anchovies into a mortar, and grind into a fine paste with a pestle.
    Anchovy fillets
  • Add the capers, and mustard and continue grinding until a smooth paste is formed.
    Grinding garlic, anchovies and capers in mortar and pestle.
  • Use a spatula to scrape the paste out of the mortar, and place it in a mixing bowl.
  • Whisk in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Place the egg in a large coffee mug, or other heat proof container.
    Coddling raw egg in cup of hot water
  • Pour boiling water over the egg, and let sit for 3 minutes.
  • Drain the hot water off the egg, and cover with cold water.
  • Crack open the egg, discard the egg white, and whisk the coddled egg yolk into the mixing bowl with the other Caesar dressing ingredients.
  • Slowly whisk in the olive oil, until well blended. The dressing should have a consistency which is just a bit thicker than heavy cream.
    Homemade Caesar salad dressing
  • Chop up the head of Romaine lettuce and add it to a large salad bowl.
  • Toss the lettuce with a bit of the Caesar salad dressing, then garnish with Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper and a few of the homemade croutons.
    Bowl filled with homemade Caesar salad
  • The salad should be well coated, but not drowning, with dressing.
  • Because of the raw egg that is used, any leftover dressing should be discarded.

Homemade Croutons

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Cut the bread into 1 to 2 inch cubes.
  • Place the cubed bread into a large mixing bowl.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, oregano and salt.
  • Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil mixture, until all the bread is well coated.
  • Place the seasoned bread cubes onto a baking sheet.
  • Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, and crisp.
  • Remove the tray of croutons to a wire rack and let cool until ready to use in the Caesar salad.

Notes

Healthy dinner of grilled chicken, brown rice and Caesar salad

Caesar Salad Recipe Variations

  • Eliminate the sardines for a vegetarian version of Caesar salad dressing
  • Leave out the Parmesan cheese and sardines for a vegan version of Caesar salad dressing
  • Top with a bit of grilled chicken for a protein-packed lunch
  • Serve the salad for dinner along with grilled chicken and steamed brown rice for a healthy meal
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