Caesar Salad

From EatingWell: July/August 1994 — Subscribe Now!

Our Caesar salad dressing substitutes flavor-packed pureed roasted garlic for the considerable amount of oil and egg yolks normally found in the classic dressing without losing any of the richness you expect in a Caesar. Add some grilled chicken breast to this salad and you've got a complete meal.

6 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

Roasted Garlic Dressing

2 heads garlic
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or water
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar, or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Croutons & Salad

2 cups cubed French bread, preferably whole-grain (1-inch pieces)
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 cups torn romaine lettuce, (2 medium heads)
1/2 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (see Tip)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and halved lengthwise (optional)

Preparation

To prepare Roasted Garlic Dressing: Preheat oven to 400°F.
Remove loose papery skin from garlic, without separating the cloves. Slice the tips off each head, exposing the cloves. Wrap the heads in foil. Roast until the cloves are very soft, about 40 minutes.
Unwrap the garlic and let cool slightly. Squeeze the cloves out of their skins into a blender or food processor. Add broth (or water), vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, mustard, anchovies and Worcestershire sauce; blend until smooth. Season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper.
To prepare croutons & salad: Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet. Toast in a 400° oven until golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
Coarsely chop garlic clove, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and mash with the side of the knife blade. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the mashed garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, add bread and toss until the garlic is well distributed.
Combine lettuce with the dressing in a large bowl and toss well. Add the croutons and Parmesan. Grind pepper over the top, toss once and serve topped with anchovy fillets, if using.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Steps 1-3) for up to 2 days.

Tip: Use a vegetable peeler to shave curls off a block of hard cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.

Nutrition

Per serving: 192 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 613 mg sodium; 298 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (109% daily value), Folate (50% dv), Vitamin C (39% dv), Selenium (16% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat