Ingredients
- 3/4 pound pancetta, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- Good olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large heads romaine lettuce
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
For the dressing:
- 1 extra-large egg yolk at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 8 to 10 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups good mild olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the pancetta into 1/2-inch cubes and cook it in a skillet over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove to paper towels and drain.
Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft.
Wash the lettuce leaves carefully and spin-dry in a salad spinner. Stack the leaves on a cutting board and cut them crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
For the dressing, place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube (as though you were making mayonnaise), until thick. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.
Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Add 1 cup grated Parmesan and toss. Divide the lettuce among 6 or 8 plates and sprinkle with the pancetta roasted tomatoes. Serve at room temperature.
All these ingredients can be made in advance. Be sure they're room temperature when you assemble the salad.
If you're nervous about raw egg yolks, substitue 2 tablespoons of real mayonnaise.
Pancetta is Italian bacon. You can find it in your Italian grocery or a specialty food store. Insist that it's vut 1/2-inch thick.
* Raw Eggs
*RAW EGG WARNING
Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.
Review This Recipe
You must be signed in to review this recipe.
or Register to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 46 reviews
By maria.h_12932556
monument, 44
on October 23, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Best caesar salad I've ever had (and I've had quite a few!. I was hesitant about the roasted tomatoes, but they added so much to the salad. Excellent!!!!!
By JALEVS
on October 17, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This salad is to die for and so like everything wonderful about Ina and her cooking. I love the way she always makes good food easy and so special. I made this salad the first time with the anchovy paste and then with the anchovies. I actually found that the paste added more salt so I would definitely go with the anchovies as no one sees them ground up in the dressing. The roasted tomatoes add so much flavor that I cannot imagine leaving them out. Taste and taste again as you create this so you get the salt flavor to the level you wish. The second time I made this for special guests and they raved about it. I served a plate of anchovies on the side with this for those who can't have a Caesar without them. Thank you Ina for a great and easy salad that WOW's!
By happycow123
Winnipeg
on October 08, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This recipe is ok, and like most, needs to be tweaked to taste. I'd say the following:
I liked the extra tang from all the lemon
Definitely use the anchovies, not paste
Use about half as much salt if you use all of the anchovies in her recipe
Use about 1c of oil (I mixed 3/4c canola, 1/8c rendered bacon fat and 1/8c light olive oil
Go with the egg yolks (I actually tried the mayo and then added in the yolks, they make a difference
I used 1 head of roast garlic instead of the 2 cloves raw, it mellowed the garlic taste nicely
Bacon is just as good as the fancy Pancetta
I added Parmesan tuiles sprinkled with ground pepper to fancy it up a bit for a dinner party
I didn't add the tomatoes, they don't belong in a caesar salad in my opinion
Read all 46 reviews