Lemony Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic-Parmesan Toasts
This take on Caesar salad is lighter and brighter than most. Lemon juice and zest punch up the vinaigrette, while a little mascarpone, instead of the traditional raw egg yolks, imparts richness. If you don't have leftover roast chicken you can also use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Ingredients
For the vinaigrette:
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1 lemon
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1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
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2 tablespoons mascarpone (or cream cheese)
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2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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1 small clove garlic, chopped, sprinkled with a pinch of kosher salt, and mashed to a paste
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1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
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1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
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Couple dashes of Tabasco
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 small clove garlic, chopped, sprinkled with a pinch of kosher salt, and mashed to a paste
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1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1/2 baguette, cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices on the extreme diagonal so they're about 6 inches long
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3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
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2 cups thinly sliced leftover
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1 pound romaine hearts (about 2 medium), cored, washed, spun dry, and cut in 2-inch pieces
Directions
1.
Make the vinaigrette: Finely grate about 1 tablespoon zest from the lemon. Squeeze the lemon to get 2 tablespoons juice. In a blender or mini chopper, puree (as much as possible) the lemon juice, Parmigiano, mascarpone, mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping the sides as needed. While pureeing, drizzle in the oil, slowly at first and then in a more steady stream as the mixture thickens and emulsifies. Thin the vinaigrette with water if needed. Add the lemon zest, thyme, and Tabasco and puree. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper (about 1 teaspoon of each) and more lemon juice if you like.
2.
Prepare the salad: Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Set the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush them with the oil mixture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano. Bake until browned, 10 to 12 min.
3.
In a small bowl, toss the chicken with about 1/4 cup of the dressing. In a large bowl, toss the romaine and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano with enough dressing to coat lightly (you might not need it all). Add salt and pepper to taste.
4.
Put the dressed greens on plates and top with the chicken and a drizzle of dressing, if any remains. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano and some black pepper and serve immediately with the toasts.
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