Retro Caesar Salad

Directions

For the salad dressing:

Ingredients

• 2 fresh lemons
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and quartered
• 2 pasteurized eggs (these are identified in stores as "pasteurized" and although not cooked have been sufficiently heated for food safety)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 boneless anchovies, optional
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Croutons:

• 1/2 baguette loaf or 1 epee (a small loaf of French bread), cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, soaked in salt water to remove grit and dried in a salad spinner

To prepare salad dressing:

Microwave lemon in a small bowl to release essential oils and set aside briefly until it has cooled off just enough to handle. One at a time through the feed tube of a running blender, add garlic clove, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, and anchovies. While the blender is still running, squeeze the lemon juice from the microwaved lemons through the feed opening, and add extra-virgin olive oil in a thin stream.

To make croutons:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and toss again to coat thoroughly. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast for a few minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Remove large "spines" from the lettuce leaves and tear tender portions of leaves into bite sized pieces. In a mixing bowl, toss dressing over romaine lettuce. Transfer to serving dishes and sprinkle with croutons.