Caesar Salad "Flower"

Post date: Oct 24, 2011 12:01:44 AM

Adapted from Diane Rossen Worthington, The Cuisine of California

1 lemon

3 cloves garlic

1 T. anchovy paste

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper, freshly ground

1 egg

1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C. Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

4-6 hearts of romaine

anchovy fillets (optional)

Boil water in a small sauepan (for coddling egg).

Halve and seed lemon. Squeeze into 1-cup glass measuring cup. Mince garlic and add to lemon juice. Add anchovy paste, salt, and black pepper.

Using a spoon, place egg in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove egg with spoon. Crack egg into dressing mixture, using spoon to scrape any cooked bits from inside of egg shell. Whisk. Add EVOO in slow stream and whisk to emulsify. Whisk. Sprinkle a third of Parmigiano Reggiano into dressing. Whisk. Cover and refrigerate until ready to dress salad.

Separate leaves of hearts of romaine. On a large round platter, arrange half of romaine "petals" in a flower pattern . Sprinkle half of remaining grated PR over this first layer of romaine. Using a spoon, drizzle dressing over first layer of romaine. Arrange remaining romaine leaves in a second layer. Sprinkle with remaining PR. Drizzle dressing over second layer of romaine leaves. Finish with a few cranks of freshly ground pepper. If desire, serve anchovies in small bowl in middle of Caesar "flower".

Serve immediately. Romaine lettuce "petals" lend themselves to eating with one's fingers which makes this salad a nice accompaniment to pizza and/or a tapas-type meal.