Wash and dry romaine leaves thoroughly (use a salad spinner or pat dry). Trim the core, chop leaves into roughly 1- to 1½-inch pieces and place in a large salad bowl.

Add cheese and croutons

Add 3/4 cup of the freshly grated Parmesan to the chopped romaine and toss lightly to distribute. Add the croutons and hold back a few to sprinkle on top before serving.

Season and finish

After dressing the salad (see dressing steps), finish with the remaining Parmesan sprinkled over the top and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges on the side, if desired.

Caesar Dressing

Mince anchovies and garlic

On a cutting board, mince the anchovy fillets and garlic together into a fine paste. You can sprinkle a little coarse salt on the garlic to help create a smoother paste with the side of your knife.

Combine base ingredients

In a medium bowl or the cup of an immersion blender, add the anchovy-garlic paste, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. Whisk or blend briefly to combine.

Emulsify with oil

With whisking (or with the immersion blender running), slowly drizzle in the 1/2 cup olive oil until the dressing is smooth and slightly thickened and emulsified. Taste and adjust salt; add up to 1/2 tsp salt if needed. If dressing is too thick, thin with 1–2 tsp water or additional lemon juice.

Chill briefly

Let the dressing rest in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Bring back to cool room temperature before using if chilled longer.