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Caesar Cardini, the inventor of the Caesar salad, is probably
spinning in his grave at the thought of what we’ve done to his original. But adding
meat and seafood has turned Caesar salads into meals instead of first courses, perfect for
life in the fast lane. For this salad I use rock shrimp, tasty morsels with a
crayfish-like flavor, usually sold already shelled. But more traditional shrimp are an
adequate substitute.
Ingredients
7 tablespoons olive oil
Six 1/2-inch-thick French baguette slices or three 1/2-inch-thick slices larger Italian
bread
1 head romaine lettuce, about 1 1/4 pounds
1 clove garlic
2 anchovy fillets
1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 large egg yolk (See Note)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound shelled raw rock shrimp or other small shelled raw shrimp
Method
1)Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over
medium-high heat. Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the bread to the skillet, reduce
the heat to medium-low, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, tossing periodically until just
crisp. Reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning.
2)Meanwhile, cut 1/2-inch from the top and bottom of the romaine and
cut the head crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Put the strips in a salad spinner and fill
with water. Drain and spin dry. Wrap in paper towels to remove excess moisture.
3)While you’re spinning the salad, peel the garlic. Drop the
garlic and anchovies down the chute of a food processor with the motor running. Puree
while you juice the lemon half. Stop the motor and scrape down the sides of the bowl with
a rubber spatula. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the mustard, egg yolk,
Worcestershire, Tabasco, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. With the motor running,
gradually add 4 tablespoons of the remaining oil through the chute until the dressing is
combined.
4)Put the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy skillet
over high heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes,
tossing a few times to cook evenly, just until the shrimp firm up and the color changes.
5)While the shrimp cook, put the romaine in a large salad bowl. Add
the dressing and toss well. Add the croutons and toss. Put the salad on individual plates
and spread the cooked shrimp evenly on top.
Serves 4
Note: If you have concerns about using raw eggs, replace the egg in
this recipe with 1/4 cup egg substitute or two additional teaspoons of Dijon mustard.
