Make Your Own Avocado Caesar
inpatskitchen
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 2 for dinner or 4 as a side
- Prep Time
- 30 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 Minutes
We love Caesar Salad around here and make it frequently, especially during the Summer, either as a side or boosted with a little something extra as a complete meal. This one can be either. I like to put some of the ingredients in separate bowls so that we can actually make our own for our individual tastes. This version pairs creamy avocado with briny anchovies, Parmesan, crispy croutons and of course, romaine lettuce!
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium avocado
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup of homemade or great quality commercial mayo
- 1 2 oz tin anchovies (use the oil in the dressing and the fillets in the salad)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the salad
- 1 large head of Romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 twelve inch baguette, cut into one inch cubes, place on a baking sheet, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and then baked in a 350F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crispy
- 1 medium avocado, diced
- dressing
Featured Video
We really loved this salad. When it comes down to it, it has entirely the same character as your standard caesar salad, the same sturdy crunch to the greens and the tangy bite of the dressing -- everything that makes caesar's hail-worthy. But then there's avocado. And everything is better with avocado. It's a simple truth. Here, it makes the dressing as silky as all get out; it's a heavy dressing, and more delicate lettuces wouldn't be able to stand up to it, but romaine has no problem. And, I'm usually not much of a crouton girl, but in this particular salad, I felt like the croutons really made the dish. This one is definitely going into the regular salad rotation.
Directions
For the dressing
- Step 1
Place the anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and Dijon mustard in the bowl of a mini food processor and process for a few seconds to break down the garlic. Add the meat from the avocado and squeeze the lemon juice over and process until relatively smooth. Add the olive oil, mayo, oil from the anchovy tin, and salt and continue to process until smooth. If the dressing seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of water just prior to serving. Place the dressing into a bowl covered with plastic wrap actually pressed onto the dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the salad
- Step 1
When ready to serve, toss the lettuce with the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan and place in a serving bowl. Have individual salad bowls or plates ready for each person to plate their own salad with the lettuce mixture, a few croutons, the dressing, anchovies, diced avocado and the extra Parmesan cheese.