A seriously healthy and delicious riff on a classic Caesar, this salad is packed with superfoods including: kale, broccoli, fresh garlic, tomatoes, lemon, anchovies and olive oil. Virtue never tasted so good.
1 small baguette, sliced in thin 1/4″ slices (I like La Brea baguettes)
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 1/2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, divided
7 cloves garlic
1 can anchovies, drained
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 T whole grain mustard
1 t sriracha or Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 T Kewpie mayonnaise or other mayonnaise (optional)
1 pound kale, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound of broccoli florets, shaved or finely sliced
1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes, sliced in half or quartered
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread baguette slices over a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Flip slices and drizzle more olive oil. I mop up any extra olive oil that winds up on the baking sheet with the bread slices. Put in the oven for about 4 – 6 minutes, until the croutons are golden brown. Remove from the oven and flip over. Bake another 3 – 4 minutes and remove from oven. Grate 1 – 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano and sprinkle over croutons. Return to the oven for another minute or two until the Parmigiano begins to melt. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Watch them carefully or they will disappear into the mouths of anyone passing through your kitchen.
In a food processor or Mini-prep, whirl the garlic until finely chopped. To activate the maximum health benefits, let the garlic sit for 5 to 10 minutes before continuing with the dressing.
Add anchovies to the food processor and whirl again to finely chop. Add Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and sriracha or Tabasco sauce, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Pulse to mix.
Add 1/2 cup olive oil, either in a stream through the feeder tube, or directly into the bowl of the food processor or Mini-prep. Whirl the ingredients to form an emulsion. Add 1 T Kewpie mayonnaise and whirl again.
Using your hands break half the croutons up into pieces. With a vegetable peeler, shave the remaining parmesan cheese into shards.
Using your hands, toss the kale, shaved broccoli, tomatoes, Parmigiano Reggiano shavings and one half the croutons together in a large salad bowl. Add half the dressing and toss again, thoroughly coating the salad with the dressing. Taste and add more dressing as desired. Reserve any extra dressing for another use. Garnish with remaining croutons.