Hot smoked salmon turns Caesar salad into the kind of dinner salad that does not need to apologize for being salad. It’s rich, smoky, savory, and sturdy enough to stand up to the garlicky dressing, crisp romaine, and crunchy homemade croutons.
Ingredients
- 8 oz hot smoked salmon, flaked into large pieces
- 2 large heads romaine lettuce, torn
- 1/3 cup shaved or grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- lemon wedges, for serving
- black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups crusty bread, torn
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup neutral oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, toss the bread with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and Parmesan until evenly coated. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10–15 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, garlic, anchovy, Dijon, lemon juice, and Worcestershire until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly, until the dressing is thick and creamy. Stir in the Parmesan, then season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Taste and adjust with more lemon, if desired.
- Add the chopped romaine to a large bowl and toss with enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves. Add the homemade croutons and Parmesan, then gently fold in the hot smoked salmon, keeping it in large flakes. Finish with extra black pepper, a squeeze of lemon, and more Parmesan.