with creamy garlic dressing and fried capers
SERVES 4
This is my spin on a classic Caesar . . . The dressing is creamy, with just a touch of kala namak to replace the sulfury egg yolks used in the traditional dressing. Delicately seasoned croutons provide a nice crunch, while the crispy fried capers truly make this salad sing. If you’ve never had fried capers, you’re welcome.
creamy garlic dressing
4 heads garlic
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons filtered water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon stone-ground mustard
½ teaspoon kala namak salt
½ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
salad
3 cups cubed bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup capers, drained and dried
10 ounces chopped romaine lettuce
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Make the dressing: Cut just the tops off the garlic heads so that you can squeeze out the cloves once they are roasted. Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until the tops of the cloves are golden brown and soft, 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the garlic heads. Once cooled, you should be able to squeeze the cloves out easily. If not, pop them back in the oven until softer. Leave the oven on.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a small blender or food processor. Add the ¼ cup of olive oil, the water, vegetable oil, vinegar, nutritional yeast, mustard, kala namak, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, sea salt, and black pepper and blend until smooth.
Make the salad: In a bowl, toss the cubed bread with the olive oil, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Set the croutons aside.
In a sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the capers and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crispy, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain them on a paper towel and set aside.
To assemble, add the greens to a large bowl. Drizzle on some Caesar dressing and toss to coat the greens with your desired amount of dressing and garnish with the capers and croutons.