It’s been a regrettably long time since I made my last post on The Fair Table (curse you college, curse you work), but I’m excited to be back. This past holiday season I was gifted several lovely kitchen additions (all of which I plan to use & review soon), one of which included a cook book, The China Study, from my dear sous chef. The first recipe I’ve made from this book is Laura Theodore’s “Caesar Salad, Jazzy-Style” detailed below (fun fact: the Caesar salad was actually invented somewhere between San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico by Italian immigrant and chef Caesar Cardini in the 1920’s–thanks, Wikipedia). Please note, however, that I found myself greatly adjusting Theodore’s recipe in order to get the desired amount of flavor, especially being that the dressing for this salad is tofu-based. Therefore, the recipe listed here is the one including these various adjustments. All that said, the finished product turned out quite delicious. Even my sous chef, who isn’t an inherent salad-lover, left no romaine leaf unturned. I’ll also include the recipe for homemade croutons (a must!!!) below. These are super easy to make so long as you have some fresh bread and your favorite spices on hand.
Ingredients:
-12 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces
For the dressing:
-8 ounces firm tofu, drained
-4 tsp capers
-2 tsp dijon mustard
-2 garlic cloves
-juice of 1 lemon
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For the croutons:
-5/6 slices fresh whole-grain bread, cubed
-1 tsp garlic powder
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp thyme
-3 TB olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl, combine all the crouton ingredients, making sure that the bread is evenly coated in the olive oil and spices. Spread the seasoned cubes on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Let the croutons bake for about 15 minutes, flipping once if necessary. These should be golden brown and crisp, but not too dry.
2. In a small blender, combine the dressing ingredients. Pulse until thoroughly incorporated. Also be certain to check for seasoning and adjust as needed (everyone’s taste buds vary; mine favor spiciness and tanginess, so if this isn’t your preference you might want to go lighter on the capers/mustard/garlic).
3. Once the dressing and croutons are ready, you’ll want to toss the romaine lettuce and the dressing in a large mixing bowl. If you’d like, you can even mix the croutons in as well so that they’ll also be coated with dressing. Otherwise, simply place them on top of the plated Caesar salad and serve! This is delicious as a light meal by itself or as an accompaniment to pasta, ravioli, or your other favorite dish.
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