Ultimate Caesar Salad

The other day I was craving Caesar Salad, no idea why. Although I LOVE Caesar, I didn't want the usual one we got from the grocery store- I'm starting to find it very bland. In fact, I'm starting to find a lot of store bought things bland... I completely blame this on my Fine Cooking subscription, my addiction to Foodnetwork Magazine (and TV) and my unemployment (now I have time to search for recipes!). Anyways, I wanted Caesar salad and so decided to search for the best Caesar salad dressing I could find. My search resulted in a HUGE success. I found not only an amazing dressing, but also a recipe for amazing croutons! Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap a picture because I gobbled up the salad within minutes of making it.



Croutons (Michael Smith's Ceasar's Salad)
4 slices rustic white bread (cubed or torn)
            [I didn't have white bread on hand and so used pumpernickel- AMAZING!]
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced [In my world, 2 is never enough and so this was upped to 4]

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Infuse the olive oil with garlic by heating the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan until gently sizzling, remove and let cool slightly. Sprinkle the bread cubes with water then toss with the olive oil. Scatter on a baking tray and toast in the oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. The water will help the crouton interior stay chewy while the oil will crisp the exterior.

Dressing (The Ultimate Caesar Salad)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp  white wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp  anchovy paste [I didn't have any and so chopped up 3-4 anchovy fillets]
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp mayonnaise

In bowl, whisk together oil, cheese, vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk in mayonnaise until smooth. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.) 

Both of these recipes are a definite must make! They are so delicious and will be a repeat in my house... hopefully very very soon!