Brentwood Caesar Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Wash the romaine hearts well under cold running water. Spin or pat dry thoroughly. Chop crosswise into roughly 1" pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Chill briefly if desired.

Add cheese and croutons

Add 2 tablespoons of the grated parmesan to the chopped romaine and toss gently. Reserve the croutons until just before serving so they remain crisp.

Combine base ingredients

In a medium bowl, mash the anchovy fillets with the minced garlic and a pinch of salt using the back of a spoon until a paste forms. Whisk in the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.

Emulsify dressing

Slowly drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil into the mixture while whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, or anchovy as desired. The dressing should be creamy and tangy.

Optional: thin dressing

If the dressing is too thick for your preference, whisk in 1 teaspoon of warm water at a time until it reaches desired consistency (usually 1–2 tsp).

Dress the salad

Pour roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing over the prepared romaine and Parmesan in the large bowl. Toss gently and thoroughly with tongs to coat the leaves evenly. Add more dressing, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach your preferred level of coating (total dressing used will be about 3–4 tbs for this quantity).

Add croutons and serve

Add the croutons and the remaining 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan. Toss once more gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates. Finish with extra shaved parmesan and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for optional squeeze.