Green Bean Caesar Salad

A simple Caesar Salad, if well-made, is always a treat. If you haven’t a recipe you’re fond of, I hope you’ll try this one and put it together often. While it’s popular in restaurants to add protein to Caesars, I found it fun and nutritious to add a cooked vegetable like haricots verts, which are the tender and thin French-style green beans. My dressing recipe, adapted from FOOD & WINE, includes a barely poached egg yolk (or you can buy pasteurized eggs, if available) or you might sub a generous tablespoon of mayonnaise, if you prefer. (I like the traditional taste of the egg.) Extra dressing, stored in a tightly covered jar in the fridge for no more than 3 or 4 days, can be used as a sandwich spread, a dip for veggies or hard-cooked eggs, or for other salads. You can also halve the dressing recipe if you’d rather. While I prefer romaine for my salad, some cooks like Little Gem, which is sort of a mini, crispy romaine. The freshest you can find will always be the best. If you can’t make the homemade croutons, don’t substitute a store-bought variety, just serve the salad with a few pieces of fresh baguette and butter. Or you might add pepitas or toasted almonds for crunch instead. FOR VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE VERSIONS, SCROLL DOWN TO JUST BELOW THE RECIPE @ CHANGE IT UP.

Ingredients

CAESAR DRESSING:

2 anchovy fillets-can sub a teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg yolk, poached for one minute in a small skillet with ¼ cup water, drained before adding to dressing or a pasteurized egg yolk. (can sub a large tablespoon mayonnaise)
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar--can sub white wine vinegar or use another tablespoon lemon juice in a pinch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

SALAD:

½ pound about 2 cups haricots verts or regular green beans, cooked (see cook’s notes)
Kosher salt; freshly ground pepper; crushed red pepper
2 large heads romaine lettuce, cored, cleaned well, outer leaves removed and discarded, and divided into leaves
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided (¼ cup on salad and ¼ cup served at the table)
1 large ripe tomato, diced
2 tablespoons minced chives for garnish – or more to taste
1 cup homemade croutons (see cook’s notes)

Instructions

MAKE THE DRESSING: Using a small food processor or blender, pulse or purée the anchovies with the egg yolk, shallot, garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and crushed red pepper until smooth. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil until thoroughly blended and emulsified. Transfer the dressing to a lidded jar or storage bowl with a tightly fitting lid. (Can be made by hand with a whisk.)
TOSS FIRST THE BEANS AND THEN THE ROMAINE LEAVES WITH THE DRESSING: To a small bowl, add the haricots verts; season lightly with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add a tablespoon of the Caesar dressing – or more to taste- and toss gently. Set aside. To a large bowl, add the romaine leaves; season lightly with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the Caesar dressing and toss gently. Taste for seasonings and add more spices or dressing, as desired.
ARRANGE THE SALAD: Line a large platter with the romaine leaves. Spoon the dressed haricots verts in a mound at the center. Top the haricots verts with the chopped tomatoes. Scatter the croutons around the perimeter. Sprinkle the salad with half of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano (serve the rest at the table) and then with the minced chives. Serve immediately. This salad, once dressed, will not refrigerate well. Eat and enjoy!

Notes

COOK’S NOTES:

Haricots verts—Bring a covered 4-quart pot with 2-3 quarts water to boil over high heat. Uncover; add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Carefully add the clean 1/2 -pound of beans to the boiling water and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes. Check for doneness, cooking another minute or two, if needed. Drain beans and add to a bowl of ice water and let cool to retain color. Drain after 10 minutes or so. If you’re cooking regular green beans, they’ll take longer to cook. Test at 5 minutes, particularly if they’re fresh, continuing to cook until tender. You can also sauté the beans instating of boiling them. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for a minute; add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the beans (patted dried if you've just washed them), season with a pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until tender -- 7 or 8 minutes.

Croutons: Cut two-three pieces of not-too-fresh baguette or other good-quality bread into 1” cubes. Heat a small skillet with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil until quite hot. Add one cube of bread to the oil and when it’s sizzling madly, turn that one over, and add the rest. Don’t walk away. Brown the bread cubes on one side, then turn and brown the other side, adding a bit more oil if the pan becomes too dry. Remove browned cubes to a paper towel-lined bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt or pepper as needed. Some cooks add grated parm here; I prefer the cheese in the salad itself.