Chicken Caesar Salad and Dressing

Caesar salad dressing is one of the last things I ever dreamed I'd be making. I mean, who buys anchovies? (At least the raw eggs didn't scare me, I've eaten my share of cookie dough.) But now no food, no matter how strange, is off limits. When my husband's birthday rolled around last weekend I wanted to create a dinner he would remember. He puts up with a lot of recipe testing and (the majority of the time) graciously tries new dishes. So for at least one night I wanted to serve something I knew he'd love. Something homey and comforting, just his style.

When we are dining out, Dustin always orders a Caesar salad as his side. I figured I could probably make one equal, if not better, and a whole lot healthier, than most restaurants. I started with the dressing, which can be made two ways: with raw egg yolks and without. I attempted both, and they taste very similar, the raw egg version being slightly tangier and the mayo more mild. But PLEASE don't skip the anchovies. They lend that salty kick that is uniquely Caesar dressing. I purchased anchovy paste in a little tube so that I didn't have to dice mini fish fillets (it seemed creepy).

I even baked homemade croutons. Cube a loaf of crusty French or Italian bread (whole wheat can be used as well), drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and into the oven it goes. Fifteen minutes later you have fresh crunchy croutons. Excellent. Add some sliced chicken breast (rotisserie works wonders for the lazy) on top and this salad becomes a meal.

Don't worry, I didn't serve my husband only a salad for his birthday dinner. I made the most gorgeous, most decadent, most delicious dish to go with it. Next time I'll share with you Nick & Jenna's Italian Lasagna. Just wait!

INGREDIENTS
Salad:
romaine lettuce, chopped
red onion, thinly sliced
Parmesan cheese, grated
Croutons (see recipe below)
Dressing (see recipe below)
grilled or roasted chicken, sliced (optional)

Croutons:
loaf of crusty bread, sliced into 1-inch cubes
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Caesar Dressing:
1 egg yolk (or 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise)
1 anchovy fillet (or 1/4 tsp. anchovy paste)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
To make the dressing:
1. In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk, anchovy, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon, and Worcestershire. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dressing can be made up to a day ahead. Keep refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving.

To make the croutons:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss cubed bread with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-20 minutes until lightly browned. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

To assemble the salad:
1. Combine romaine and red onion. Toss with Caesar dressing. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Top with chicken (optional) and croutons.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)