When I first moved to San Francisco oh-so-many moons ago, celebrity chefs weren't quite the thing they are today, but there were a couple whose names stood out and one of them was Bradley Ogden. His restaurant Lark Creek Inn was the place to eat then and his Caesar salad was famous.
I had a hankering for a Caesar the other day so I thought I'd try to track the recipe down. While I can't guarantee this is his exact recipe, I think it's pretty close. Regardless, it's definitely delicious! If you want to be sure you have the completely official recipe, track down a copy of his book Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Classic Caesar Salad
2 heads romaine
lettuce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon capers, rinsed and minced
6 anchovy filets, mashed with a fork
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon
fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
parmesan croutons (see below)
1/2 cup shaved parmesan
Trim the
romaine lettuce of any brown or bruised leaves. Tear the leaves in to 2-inch
pieces. Wash, dry and refrigerate.
Combine
the garlic, capers and anchovies, mixing together to form a paste. Add the egg
yolks, dry mustard, lemon juice and salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Whisking continuously, very slowly add the olive oil. Continue whisking until
all the oil has been added and the dressing is thick and smooth like
mayonnaise. Refrigerate the dressing for 30 minutes to develop its full flavor.
Place the
romaine in a large bowl and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cracked black
pepper. Pour the dressing down the sides of the bowl, lifting the lettuce up
and over, coating the leaves evenly. Add the parmesan croutons and toss. Place
on plates and garnish with the shaved parmesan.
Parmesan Croutons
2 cups
french bread cut in to 3/4 inch cubes
6 small
cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/4 cup
unsalted butter
1/2 cup
grated parmesan cheeese
Preheat
the oven to 350ยบ.
Combine
the garlic and butter in a small saucepan and place over moderate heat until
the butter has completely melted and is bubbbling but not browning. Remove from
the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain the butter and discard the garlic
cloves.
In a bowl
toss the bread and butter, evenly coating the cubes. Place the bread cubes on a
sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Stir them 2 or 3 times while baking. Once
the croutons have become a deep golden brown and are crisp all the way through,
remove them from the oven and place them in a large bowl. Add the parmesan
cheese to the croutons while they are still warm and toss the croutons and
cheese together.
