Zuni Cafe's Caesar Salad

Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
2 salt-packed anchovies -- filleted, rinsed,
dried, and chopped
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic - (generous)
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar - (scant)
1 pinch sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil -- plus
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 pound chewy rustic French or Italian bread -- cut into 3/4" cubes
Juice of 1 lemon - (abt 2 tbspns) -- or to taste
2 ounces freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese
2 eggs -- well beaten
2 romaine lettuce hearts -- cored, leaves left
whole, chilled
Combine half of the anchovies and garlic in a bowl. Add all of the
vinegar, salt, pepper to taste, and the 1/3 cup olive oil. Let stand
for
20 minutes.
Cooking Directions:
Toss the bread cubes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a cookie sheet and toast in a 300 degree oven until golden, about 10 minutes. At serving time, add the remaining anchovies and garlic, the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the cheese to the dressing base. Whisk in the eggs to form an emulsion. Thoroughly toss the lettuce leaves with the dressing, being careful not to bruise them. Taste for salt and add, if necessary. Divide the salad among chilled serving plates. Add the croutons, dust with more freshly-ground pepper and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

PER SERVING: 385 calories; 13 g protein; 17 g carbohydrate; 30 g fat (7 g saturated); 119 mg cholesterol; 538 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.
Comments: Caesar is one of the trickiest salads. The dressing is a balancing act, and despite anchovies and grated cheese, a little salt usually is needed to unite the flavors. This is a first-rate rendition of this salad, which was created in a restaurant in Tijuana and passionately adopted by San Franciscans.