Radicchio Caesar Salad
Radicchio leaves, freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, and creamy homemade Caesar dressing combine to make this slightly bitter, unique, and tasty Caesar salad.
Equipment
- 1 Food processor (a mini one works perfectly for this size batch of dressing)
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head radicchio, broken into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 batch homemade croutons (recipe below)
- 1 batch homemade Caesar dressing (recipe below)
Creamy Caesar Dressing
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 anchovies, smashed with a fork or mortar and pestle *optional
- 1 shake hot sauce about 1/8 teaspoon
- 2 shakes Worcestershire Sauce about 1/4 teaspoon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. pasteurized egg white (we use the egg whites in the carton for this)
- 2 tbsp. grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Homemade Herbed Croutons
- 4 slices sourdough bread, 1/4-inch thick, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. salted butter
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
Assemble & Toss Salad
- Place radicchio leaves in your salad bowl. Toss with Caesar dressing and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Arrange croutons on each plate and pass extra cheese!
Caesar Salad Dressing
- Place all ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and process until smooth and thickened. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container until ready to serve.
Homemade Herbed Croutons
- Melt butter along with oil in a skillet. Add all of the herbs and seasonings and cook just until bubbly. Lay bread pieces out flat in the pan to coat the down side with the butter mixture. Quickly turn to coat the other side. Reduce heat to low and cook until croutons are crispy. This could take 15-20 minutes, depending upon the temperature of the burner. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.