Caesar Salad With Garlicky Croutons Food

CAESAR SALAD CROUTONS

Steps:

• Combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan. Simmer until cloves are a light gold color, about 15 minutes. Pour oil through a fine sieve, squeeze all juice from cloves, and then discard the solids. Set garlic oil aside.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking sheet.
• Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake, turning bread cubes periodically, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
• In a large, non-stick skillet, melt 1/3 cup ghee with 1/3 cup garlic oil over medium heat. Cook toasted bread cubes in batches until light to medium golden brown, turning frequently. Add more ghee and garlic oil as needed. Turn out into basket lined with paper towels, and drain for about 20 minutes.

CAESAR SALAD WITH CRUNCHY CROUTONS

Steps:

• Make the croutons:
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Hand-tear the bread into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Add the olive oil, Parmesan, and thyme leaves; season with salt and pepper. Mix this well to combine all the flavors. Spread the cubes out onto a baking sheet and bake until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let them cool before tossing them onto the salad.
• Make the dressing: Put the anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, and water into a blender and process for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. With the blender running, pour the olive oil in slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Season, to taste, with salt and set aside. (Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away.)
• Assemble the salad: Tear the lettuce into a large bowl. Add enough dressing to coat the salad to your liking. Add the croutons and some extra Parmesan and toss the salad well. Serve immediately.

CAESAR SALAD WITH GARLICKY CROUTONS

Steps:

• Prepare the croutons: Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil and garlic cloves in a small saucepan over medium-high; cook until garlic begins to sizzle, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and discard garlic.
• Place cubed baguette in a medium bowl; drizzle with garlic-infused oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Prepare the salad: Heat vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high to 375°F. Fry capers in 2 batches until golden, 30 seconds per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Combine vinegar, lemon juice, water, mustard, salt, anchovy fillets, garlic, and egg yolk in a blender. Process until smooth. With blender running, slowly add olive oil until thickened. Transfer dressing to a bowl; stir in pepper and ¼ cup of the grated cheese.
• Combine romaine hearts, croutons, and remaining ¼ cup grated cheese in a large bowl; drizzle with ¾ cup of the dressing, and toss gently to coat. Divide lettuce mixture among 4 plates; sprinkle with capers and shaved cheese. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

CAESAR SALAD WITH SESAME CROUTONS

Steps:

• Roasted Garlic Purée: Preheat oven to 300 F. Slice off the top of the bulb, just enough to expose the cloves. Place garlic in a small baking dish, cut side down. Add enough vegetable oil to cover the garlic halfway. Roast in the oven until cloves are golden and soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and set aside until cool, 20 minutes. Fit a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and press the cloves through the mesh with your hands, a bench scraper, or spoon; this is to catch any tough fiber or skin. Set aside. Makes about ¼ cup. (Note: You can roast several heads of garlic at a time and store the purée in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.)
• Lettuce: Remove and discard tough outer leaves of the lettuce. Cut away and discard the root base, then separate leaves, cutting the larger ones in half vertically and keeping smaller ones whole. Fill the bowl of a salad spinner halfway with ice water and insert the basket. Add lettuce to the basket and submerge completely. Soak for 10 minutes to crisp up the leaves.
• Sesame Croutons: In a medium skillet over medium heat, add butter and oil. Smash garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, and add to butter and oil. Cook until bubbly, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and toss or stir to combine. Season with freshly ground black pepper, about 8 grinds, and a pinch of salt. Continue toasting the crumbs until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels to cool.
• (Note: The video shows a double serving of dressing. Use the amounts in the written recipe.)Dressing: In a blender, add mayonnaise, anchovy, fish sauce, and the Roasted Garlic Purée. (Save the remaining purée for another use.) Use a Microplane to grate the garlic clove into the blender; then add Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice, water, and sugar. Season with freshly cracked black pepper (about 10 grinds) and a pinch of salt. Purée just until combined. With the motor on, drizzle in olive oil, then vegetable oil. Turn motor off, taste for seasoning, and add more salt and sugar as needed. (Makes about 1¼ cups. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)
• Assembly: Remove ice water from salad spinner and spin the lettuce leaves twice, draining water each time, until dry. Lay out on a sheet tray lined with paper towels to further drain. Remove garlic cloves from Sesame Croutons and discard. Place half of the lettuce into a bowl. Drizzle several spoonfuls of dressing, add 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano, and toss to combine. Repeat with remaining lettuce. Place on a serving dish, garnish with plenty of Sesame Croutons, and serve.

LOBSTER CAESAR SALAD WITH GARLIC-LEMON CROUTONS

Steps:

• For dressing:
• Puree all ingredients in blender. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.)
• For salad:
• Cook lobsters in large pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large bowl; cool. Working over bowl, remove meat from tails and claws; reserve 1/4 cup lobster juices from bowl. Cut tail meat in half lengthwise. Whisk reserved juices into dressing; season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange half of 1 romaine heart on each of 4 plates. Toss celery root with enough dressing to coat; mound on lettuce. Top with lobster meat; drizzle with dressing. Garnish each salad with grated Parmesan cheese and 3 croutons.

SIMPLE, SCRUMPTIOUS CAESAR SALAD WITH QUICK GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• To make croutons: Heat large skillet over low heat. With motor running, drop garlic cloves through feeder tube of food processor to mince. (A blender works as well.) Scrape down sides of bowl and add oil through feeder tube. Continue to process so that garlic releases its flavor into oil, about 30 seconds. Strain garlic from oil through a fine-mesh strainer; reserve half of garlic for dressing and set aside remaining half for another use. You should have about 3 tablespoons of garlic oil.
• Raise heat under skillet to medium. Place bread cubes in medium bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over bread, along with a big pinch of salt; toss to coat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; toss again. Add bread cubes to hot skillet and toast, turning cubes and shaking pan often, until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Return croutons to bowl and set aside to cool while preparing salad.
• To prepare salad: Cut off bottom 1 1/2 to 2 inches of core from bottom of each romaine heart. Separate heart into individual leaves. Put leaves in large bowl.
• Whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Worcestershire and reserved garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle lettuce with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss lightly, carefully, and thoroughly so that lettuce is evenly coated with oil. (Clean hands work well.).
• Drizzle lemon mixture over lettuce; toss again. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan over greens; toss again. Sprinkle croutons over salad, toss, and serve, sprinkling each portion with a little more Parmesan cheese.

GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add bread cubes, and toss to coat. Spread on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until crisp and dry. Check frequently to prevent burning. Cool.