Almost Classic Caesar Salad

This Caesar dressing is classic in the list of ingredients, but as we know, Caesar dressings can seriously range from almost mayo-y, to barely a vinaigrette. This one is creamy without being heavy, and punchy without preventing you from eating the whole bowl. Of course, there are anchovies, but capers are a legit good stand-in here.

Depending on how much salad you’re making and how wet you enjoy those leaves, this recipe for the dressing may make more than you need, but great news: it keeps well in the fridge for a few days. It’s good in a glass, good on green(s), good for dipping raw carrots and celery. If you’re eating meat, chicken and anchovies are a gorgeous match, so you know it belongs spooned over a seared chicken breast, greens optional (scroll down for instructions on how to…wrap it, I guess).

YIELD — 4 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

2 large egg yolks

6 anchovy filets or 2 tablespoons capers, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated on a microplane

1 teaspoon dijon mustard, plus more

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce, plus more

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

For the Breadcrumbs and Assembly:

3–4 tablespoons olive oil

4 anchovy filets, plus more for serving

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped or grated on a microplane

1 large head romaine or 2-3 heads little gems, tougher outer leaves removed, ends trimmed, leaves torn or cut into large pieces

A hunk of parmesan for shaving or grating

BONUS, For the Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap:

All of the above

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil

More anchovies!

2 large tortillas, lavash, or whatever you use to wrap things in, idk

Directions

1. For the dressing:

Whisk the yolks, anchovies, capers, garlic, mustard and lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Gently whisk in the olive oil and canola oil, without worrying anything is going to break— it won’t. Think of this as a thick vinaigrette, not a thin mayonnaise/aioli.

2. Add a teaspoon of Worcestershire and decide if you want more of that, or maybe more mustard (I always do). Season with salt, and so much black pepper it really ought to be in the recipe name. The dressing should be very acidic and again, less on the creamy scale. If you find it too punchy, whisk in a few tablespoons of canola (or olive) oil.

3. For the breadcrumbs and assembly:

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies, stirring just to melt. Add the panko and stir to coat in the oil. Keep tossing or stirring until the panko is evenly coated and turning a nice golden brown, the color of perfect toast, about 4 or 5 minutes; remove from heat, add garlic and toss in the warm crumbs, just to take the edge off.

4. Remove breadcrumbs from heat and season with salt and pepper; let them cool before dressing your salad.

5. Toss half the dressing onto your bowl of torn leaves and season with more dressing, salt, or pepper. Shower with cheese and bread crumbs, tossing to encourage both to settle into the nooks and crannies and, if you’re me, top with more anchovies.

6. For the Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap:

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet (use the same skillet you did the breadcrumbs in, if available), heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, then slice chicken into strips if you’re going David-style, or shred it with your hands if you’re going Alison-style.

7. In a large bowl, toss lettuce with dressing until everything is well-coated and perfectly dressed, then chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Gently warm the tortilla or wrap vessel of your choosing over the stove for a few seconds on each side. Top with dressed lettuce, slices of chicken, a few more anchovies, grated cheese, and breadcrumbs, making sure you leave a border between the fillings and the edge of the tortilla so as not to overfill (rookie mistake!). Fold in two sides of the tortilla, then gently roll the wrap away from you (like a burrito), making sure everything stays tucked in as you go. Cut in half so you can show all your friends.