Romaine leaves dressed in an anchovy-garlic emulsion with raw egg, parmesan, and lemon. Made tableside in the original; made properly in yours.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Romaine lettuce hearts | 3 large heads |
| Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated | 80g |
| Day-old sourdough or ciabatta, torn | 200g |
| Garlic cloves | 3 |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (for croutons) | 3 tbsp |
| Large egg yolks | 2 |
| Anchovy fillets in oil | 6 |
| Fresh lemon juice | 2 lemons |
| Dijon mustard | 1 tsp |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1 tsp |
| Neutral oil (for dressing) | 120ml |
| Black pepper, freshly cracked | Generous |
Tear bread into rough 2cm pieces — irregular shapes make better croutons than uniform cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and 1 minced garlic clove. Spread on a baking tray and roast at 200°C / 400°F for 12–15 minutes until golden and crunchy. Cool on the tray.
Mince anchovy fillets and remaining garlic into a paste using the flat of a knife, mashing into the cutting board until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Whisk in egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire. Slowly drizzle in neutral oil while whisking constantly to emulsify. The dressing should be thick and creamy. Thin with a tablespoon of water if needed. Season aggressively — it needs to coat an entire salad.
Separate romaine into individual leaves. Wash and spin completely dry — wet lettuce dilutes the dressing and the whole thing becomes a soup. Keep whole leaves or tear into large pieces. Never chop caesar salad finely: the whole leaves are the textural point.
In a wide, cold bowl, toss romaine with dressing — start with less and add more. Every leaf should glisten but not drown. Add most of the parmesan and toss again. Plate, top with croutons, the remaining parmesan, and generous freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately — caesar waits for no one.
Six ingredients that become one of the most cohesive sauces in American food history. Each one pulls weight — nothing here is decorative.