Classic Caesar Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Trim core from baby gem heads, separate leaves, rinse under cold water, and spin dry or pat dry. Tear large leaves into bite-sized pieces and refrigerate until ready to dress.

Shave Parmesan

Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave about 1 cup of Parmesan into thin ribbons or shavings. Reserve for plating and also measure 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan for the dressing (already listed).

Cook bacon

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F or use a skillet. Arrange 8 slices of double smoked bacon on a foil-lined tray and bake for 12–15 minutes until crisp (or fry in a skillet over medium heat 6–8 minutes). Drain on paper towels, then chop or break into bite-sized pieces. Keep warm or at room temperature.

Finish salad assembly

Just before serving, place the dried baby gem leaves in a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the prepared dressing (see dressing section) and toss gently to coat. Add most of the shaved Parmesan and the chopped bacon, reserving some for garnish. Toss briefly, then plate and top with extra Parmesan shavings, remaining bacon and croutons.

Prepare baguette

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F if not already. Slice the baguette on the diagonal into 1–1.5 cm (about 1/2 inch) thick slices to maximize crisp surface area.

Season and bake

In a bowl, toss baguette slices with 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil and 1 tsp sea salt until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8–12 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. For garlic croutons: rub the warm toasted slices lightly with the cut side of 1 garlic clove as soon as they come out of the oven.

Cool

Let croutons cool on a rack so they remain crisp. Break or cut into bite-sized pieces if desired and set aside for plating.

Make base

In a mortar and pestle or on a cutting board, mash 4 anchovy fillets with 1 garlic clove to form a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in 2 egg yolks, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 tbs fresh lemon juice until smooth and slightly thickened.

Emulsify

While whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle in 120 ml olive oil until the mixture emulsifies and thickens to a creamy dressing. If the dressing becomes too thick, whisk in a teaspoon or two of warm water or additional lemon juice to reach desired consistency.

Finish seasoning

Fold in 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust lemon, salt or anchovy to preference. Chill briefly if desired; bring to room temperature before tossing with lettuce.

Safety note (raw eggs)

This dressing uses raw egg yolks. Use pasteurized eggs if concerned about food safety, or cook yolks into a light sabayon over a bain-marie while whisking and then cool before continuing.