Little Gem Caesar Recipe
asiago cheese crisp, classic dressing
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Ingredients
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Salad
Classic Caesar Dressing
Method
Classic Caesar Dressing
- 1
Combine base
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt until smooth.
- 2
Add flavorings
Add the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, minced garlic, and red wine vinegar. Whisk until fully incorporated.
- 3
Season and adjust
Stir in the salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or salt: add up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon more salt if desired. For a thinner dressing, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons cold water until desired consistency is reached.
- 4
Chill
Cover and refrigerate the dressing at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Can be made up to 2 days ahead; bring to room temperature and whisk before using.
Salad
- 5
Prepare lettuces
Trim any browned outer leaves from the little gem heads. Slice each head lengthwise into quarters, leaving the core attached so wedges hold together, or halve for larger pieces. Rinse briefly and spin or pat dry so leaves are mostly dry.
- 6
Assemble
Place the little gem wedges on a serving platter or individual plates, arranging them so there is space between pieces for dressing to coat leaves.
- 7
Dress the salad
Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chilled dressing over each wedge (roughly 4–6 tablespoons total for the whole salad), then use a spoon or small tongs to gently coat the exposed leaves. Add more dressing to taste, but avoid soaking the lettuce.
- 8
Finish and serve
Sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the dressed wedges. Season lightly with the remaining freshly ground black pepper. Top each wedge with 1–2 asiago cheese crisps and scatter croutons if using. Serve immediately so crisps remain crunchy.