Garden Or Caesar Salad Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash romaine and mixed greens thoroughly in cold water. Spin or pat dry until very dry. Tear romaine into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare vegetables

Halve cherry tomatoes, thinly slice cucumber and red onion, and shred carrots if not pre-shredded. Add all vegetables to the bowl with the greens.

Add croutons and reserve the grated cheese to top after dressing is added.

If using grilled chicken: season breasts with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat about 6–7 minutes per side (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Let rest 5 minutes, then slice. If using shrimp, cook 2–3 minutes per side until opaque. Prepare hard-boiled eggs by boiling 9–10 minutes, cooling, peeling and quartering. Arrange chosen proteins on top of the assembled salad at the end.

Make vinaigrette

In a small jar or bowl combine 0.25 cups extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs red wine vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp honey, 1 minced garlic clove, 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. If dressing is too sharp, add 0.5–1 tsp more honey; if too thick, add 1–2 tsp water or more vinegar to balance.

Pour vinaigrette over the salad just before serving and toss gently to coat. Top with reserved cheese and serve immediately.

Make Caesar dressing

In a small bowl whisk together 0.5 cups mayonnaise, 0.25 cups grated Parmesan, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp anchovy paste, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 minced garlic clove and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 tbs water to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust lemon, salt, or anchovy to preference.

Toss the romaine and croutons with enough Caesar dressing to lightly coat (about 0.5–0.75 cups for 8 cups romaine). Finish with extra grated Parmesan and cracked black pepper. Add protein if desired and serve immediately.