Cynthia Nims’ Caesar Dip with Big Croutons and Romaine
By Seattle Mag September 2, 2014
from Gourmet Game Night, © Cynthia Nims
For this recipe, the crouton strips shouldn’t get quite as crunchy as a classic crouton, so your
guests can easily bite into them without much crumbling. The romaine will lose some of
its crispness after an hour or so; best keep it wrapped in damp paper towels in the fridge
and set it on the tray just as your ready to serve.
1 round loaf artisan bread
1 large head romaine lettuce, trimmed, rinsed, and dried
Caesar Dip
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cups top-quality mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 to 3 anchovy fillets
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches below the element. Cut four 3/4-inch slices from the center of the bread loaf, saving the rest for another use. Cut the bread slices across into strips about 3 inches long and 3/4 inch wide (you should
have about 24 strips). Arrange the strips on a baking sheet and broil until lightly browned
and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through. Set aside to cool.
For the Caesar dip, pulse the Parmesan cheese a few times in a food processor to finely
mince it. Add the mayonnaise, lemon juice, anchovy fillets, and garlic and blend until
smooth. Taste the dressing for seasoning, adding salt (if needed) and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Use the romaine leaves that measure about 5 inches to 10 inches for this recipe, saving
the rest for another use. The smaller, most tender leaves can be served whole. Halve
larger leaves lengthwise, removing the central rib as you do so.
To serve, pour the dip into 8 shot glasses or other small dishes of about 1/4 cup volume
and put the croutons in a bowl. Set these on a platter surrounded by the romaine leaves.
Your guests should take a dip of their own, helping themselves to the dippers.
Makes 8 salads