WEEK 48: YOUR BEST CAESAR SALAD
Goat Cheese Caesar Salad with Roasted
Tomatoes and Parmesan Crisp
Photography by Sarah Shatz
BY BROOKE’S KITCHEN | SERVES 4
A&M: This is a dish that has the veneer of a restaurant recipe, but the soul of a home cook’s. Brooke’s kitchen was inspired by a dish she had at Michel Richard’s Central restaurant in D.C. “When I saw Caesar salad and goat cheese on the menu, I knew it was something I had to try. This is my ‘home’ version.” Her salad has complexity—a bed of seasoned goat cheese beneath the Romaine, a sprinkling of blistered cherry tomatoes, and a cap made of a baked Parmesan crisp—but each part is easy and can be made ahead of time. So don’t sweat it. Put this on the menu for your next dinner party.
CAESAR DRESSING
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, grated
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon anchovy paste
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
SALAD
4 ounces good, soft goat cheese
1 garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon heavy cream
16 cherry tomatoes
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 head romaine lettuce
- For the dressing: Whisk all the ingredients together, adding salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- For the salad: Take the goat cheese out of the refrigerator to soften a little. Mix the grated garlic with the oregano and cream. Mix the softened goat cheese with this herb-cream mixture and set aside.
- Heat the oven to 375°F. Toss the cherry tomatoes with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes burst and brown in a few spots. Take out of the oven and set aside.
- Raise the oven temperature to 400°F.
- Using ½ cup of the Parmesan, pour a heaping tablespoon of cheese on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat, spacing the heaps of cheese at least ½ inch apart. (Reserve the remaining ¼ cup cheese for serving.) Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Cool.
- Clean the lettuce and trim. Place the leaves between damp paper towels and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Pipe a portion of the goat cheese mixture on the bottom of one salad plate (depending on how much goat cheese you like). I use a plastic storage bag with the corner cut off to make a pretty design, or you can always spoon it onto the plate. Repeat with 3 more salad plates.
- Toss the lettuce very lightly with some of the dressing (be very sparing—I always put a little dressing on top of the finished salad). Divide the lettuce among the salad plates.
- Divide the roasted tomatoes and arrange them on top of the salad. Drizzle a little more dressing over the lettuce and sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan. Add a cheese crisp to each plate and serve.
Photography by Sarah Shatz
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
We didn’t break up the romaine leaves—instead, we used just the tender inner leaves and dressed them whole so we could stack them up, Suzanne Goin style.
ABOUT THE COOK
Brooke Moskovitz Dowdy works in marketing in Washington, D.C.
Her favorite recipe from a cookbook: “Wild Mushroom Risotto with Duck Confit from Artisanal Cooking by Terrance Brennan.”
Her top entertaining tip: “Instead of making an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert, buy one item that is prepared. You can pick up beautiful cheeses to make a lovely appetizer or a dessert from your local bakery. This leaves more time to mingle with your guests, plus you’ll be relaxed and can focus on the preparation of your other dishes.”
Here’s her blog: Plum Pie (www.plumpiecooks.com).
WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID
Jennifer Ann: “So delicious! We loved the fresh taste of the dressing, and will use the grated garlic trick again. The warm roasted tomatoes are a really nice touch.”