Caesar Salad in Seconds...will maybe minutes

 

I could eat Caesar Salad everyday but I don't always have the time to whip the dressing up.  Well thank you Pam Anderson!  I give you a Caesar Salad you can throw together in a moments notice.  I added the low fat and high fat option.  Also garlic lovers, like me, could add more garlic.  If you feel the need for anchovies just garnish the top or squirt 1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste into the mayo base.  Impress the snobbiest eaters with this easy elegant salad. 

Simple Scrumptious Caesar Salad

with

Quick Garlic Croutons

from Pam Anderson

Cooksmart 

Garlic croutons

4 garlic cloves (feeling lazy? Get the frozen cubes from Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups bread cubes, 3/4-inch, cut from a good quality baguette or 2 cups baguette or 2 cups Italian bread (I used left over bagels)

1 pinch salt

Salad

3 romaine lettuce hearts, about 10 generous cups ( remove any dark green outer leaves and reserve for another use) (I bought romaine hearts from Trader Joe’s)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoons low fat or regular mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

5 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling ( preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)

croutons:

~ heat large skillet over low heat

~ with motor running, drop garlic cloves through feeder tube of food processor to mince ~ 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.

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

~  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