Caeser Salad + Garlic Parm Croutons

I used to love caeser salad growing up but I hit a certain age where my seafood allergy started to get more severe to the point where I would notice even when I consumed even the tiniest amounts of it...aka the small amount of anchovy in caeser salad dressing. There are NO anchovies in this recipe - I know that's not traditional but I gotta do what I gotta do to accommodate my food allergies. I did add caper brine to the dressing though to give it an extra salty, briny flavor.

Homemade croutons are a game changer. First of all, you can make them as big as you want and second of all, since they're homemade you don't have to worry about any additives or preservatives. I discovered Bread Srsly GF Sourdough Bread last year and that's what I used to make the croutons so this recipe doesn't contain any gluten!! I always keep a loaf of their sourdough in my freezer and I loveeee to make croutons and breadcrumbs with it.

A few tips: make sure you use freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese instead of just parmesan, makes a big difference, I think! Plus, the cheese looks prettier if you grate it yourself instead of just trying to sprinkle the fake powdery stuff on top. If you follow a plant based diet, I would suggest using vegan parmesan cheese (I like Violife) and vegan mayo! Super easy to swap these in to make it all vegan, especially since there's no anchovy.

What you need
For the breadcrumbs:

• 1/2 loaf sourdough bread
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 3-4 tbsp EVOO
• 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper

For the dressing:

• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp caper brine
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano​
• 1 cup mayo or vegan mayo
• 2-3 tbsp water (if using a thicker mayo)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the salad:

• 1 large bundle of romaine lettuce
• 1 tbsp capers
• Fresh cracked black peppercorns for topping
• Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano for topping
• Homemade garlic parm croutons

What to do

1. Cut the sourdough into 1 inch cubes and toss in a bowl with the garlic cloves, grated parm-reggiano, EVOO, salt and black pepper.
2. Bake the sourdough cubes (aka croutons) for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. (They should be crispy and the cheese should melt.)
3. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth. (You don't have to use a processor but I do because it does a nice job combining everything and is quick.) Check the texture and add water if it needs loosening.
4. Assemble the salad. First chop and wash the romaine lettuce and then plate it. Sprinkle with desired amount of the caeser salad dressing. Next up top with capers, croutons and finally, some freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Finish with crushed black peppercorns.