Zefiro Caesar Salad
By Carrie Floyd, from the Culinate Kitchen collection
| Serves | 2 |
| Total Time | 20 minutes |
Introduction
More than once when I worked at Zefiro (a favorite Portland restaurant of the 1990s) I heard customers rave about this salad, calling it the city’s best. At the restaurant the leaves were left whole and people were encouraged to eat the salad with their fingers; you can also cut or rip the romaine into bite-size pieces.
Ingredients
| 1 | small baguette | |
| ¾ | cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil | |
| 1 | tsp. fresh garlic, minced | |
| 1 | tsp. oil-packed anchovies, drained | |
| 3 | Tbsp. fresh lemon juice | |
| 1 | coddled egg yolk (see Note) | |
| ¼ | cup Parmesan cheese, grated | |
| 2 | heads romaine lettuce, outer leaves removed | |
| ~ | Freshly ground black pepper |
Steps
- Remove the bottom crust of the baguette by slicing lengthwise as close to the crust as possible; discard the crust. Cut the rest of the bread into cubes and toss with the 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Spread bread cubes out on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, stirring several times, until golden brown.
- Whisk together garlic, anchovies, and lemon juice; add egg, then add remaining olive oil and all but 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Stir until emulsified. Toss croutons and lettuce with dressing, then arrange on plates, sprinkling with remaining cheese and black pepper.
Notes
To coddle an egg: Hold it in both hands and stare lovingly at it, then gently lower the egg into simmering water and cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside until ready to use.
This content is from the Culinate Kitchen collection.