All Kale Caesar!

Print Recipe Card   

Directions

Bake the Croutons:

Pre-heat oven to 400° with a rack in the middle. Place the torn bread pieces into a large bowl and mix in the olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, and the herbs de Provence. Toss the bread pieces making sure they are evenly coated with the oil and seasoning. Spread the bread pieces evenly on a baking sheet and put in the oven, moving the bread around after 5 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool. If stored in an airtight container the croutons can last for a week.

Make the Dressing:

Mash/pound the garlic, anchovies and lemon zest together (using a mortar and pestle or the side of a heavy chef’s knife until they form a thick paste. Transfer the paste into a small bowl and whisk in the egg yolk, a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice. Scrape the paste into a blender, while running on low speed slowly pour in 1/2 cup of olive oil, take your time letting the olive oil emulsify with the egg yolk and paste. Turn off the blender and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the motor still running on low add the remaining olive oil alternating with the remaining lemon juice. At this point the dressing should be nice and thick. Once both the olive oil and lemon juice are incorporated taste the dressing and add more salt or lemon juice as needed. If the dressing comes out too thick, just add a few tablespoons of warm water slowly pouring into the blender while on like the olive oil. This dressing can be stored for a week in the fridge, but should be at room temperature when dressing the salad.

Assemble the Salad:
Place the torn kale and croutons in a large bowl and mix together. Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad to taste, coating both the kale and croutons evenly. Any leftover dressing can be saved for another time. Add the parmesan to the bowl, toss again and serve immediately.