Serves four
16 slices French bread (1 small baguette, sliced in thin diagonals)
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 eggs
1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and leaves separated
8 ounces Caesar dressing (recipe below)
1⁄2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until golden brown. For those of you who really like garlic, rub the croutons with a raw garlic clove when they come out of the oven. Poach the eggs in a deep pot of simmering water with a quarter cup of vinegar until the whites are set but the yolk is runny (about two to three minutes). The secret to poaching eggs is to crack them in a small bowl or cup and slip them into the hot water. Stir the water so the eggs spin around which helps keep them in a tighter shape. Use the outer leaves of the romaine lettuce to line your bowls, and tear the inner leaves into bite sizes. Dress these leaves with the Caesar dressing, place in the bowls along with the croutons, and top with the poached eggs and shaved Parmesan.
Caesar Dressing
2 eggs
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 anchovies
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 1⁄2 ounces olive oil
3 1⁄2 ounces vegetable oil
First coddle the eggs by cooking them in the shell in boiling water for 3 minutes. Place the peeled eggs and all other ingredients except the oils in a food processor, blend until smooth. Slowly add the oils until fully incorporated and the mixture is a mayonnaise consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.
