"Sometimes when I make Caesar salad, I put too much garlic in, even for me," says photographer Rob Howard, who loves powerful versions of this classic recipe. F&W's Marcia Kiesel created an exemplary Caesar salad for him with a simple but potent mayonnaise-based dressing, extra-large croutons and thin strips of red chile for a spicy kick. Because Rob also likes crispy bacon in his Caesar salads (he gets slabs delivered from a local butcher, whose smokehouse is a few miles away from Rob's home), it gets tossed in, too. Terrific Green Salads
How to Make It
Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the toasts cool, then break them into large pieces.
Meanwhile, in a mini food processor, combine the mayonnaise, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic and mustard and blend until smooth. With the processor on, slowly pour in the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season the dressing with pepper.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Drain and slice crosswise 1 inch thick.
In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the sliced chile, croutons and the bacon. Add the dressing and toss. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the salad, toss again and serve right away.
