Nancy Silvertons Caesar Salad with Banga Cauda Croutons

This is a toned down version of Nancy Silvertons insanely delicious Caesar Salad.
​The Bagna Cauda Croutons are out of ths world!!!

​INGREDIENTS
​
For the Banga Cauda Croutons

• 1/2 cup Bagna cauda (recipe below)
• 1/2 pound rustic bread, fresh or day old

     CAESAR DRESSING
INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• freshly ground
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
• 2 limes plus more to taste
• 10 anchovy fillets (preferably salt-packed), rinsed, back-bones removed if salt-packed finely chopped, and smashed with the flat side of a knife
• 1 1/2 cups Parmesan finely grated, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

     For the salad
     2 heads escarole, chopped (you can use romaine if you wish)
     I cup finely sliced cauliflower (optional)

• To prepare the dressing, combine the lime juice, red wine vinegar, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a measuring cup or bowl.
• Combine extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil in a measuring cup with a spout.
• Combine egg yolks and kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
• Microplane garlic cloves into the processor bowl and pulse them to combine.
• Finely chop anchovies and put them in the bowl of the processor.
• With the machine running, begin adding half of the extra-virgin olive oil in a slow, steady stream through the lid of the processor, blending continuously, until the oil and egg are emulsified and creamy looking.
• Turn off the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and add half of the lime juice-vinegar mixture.
• Pulse to combine and add the remaining oil in a slow, steady drizzle, adding the remaining lime-vinegar mixture when the dressing gets very thick.
• Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice, hot sauce, or salt.
• Add ground pepper and Parmesan and process for a few seconds to incorporate into the dressing.
• Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Transfer the dressing to a bowl and set aside.

 

• BANGA CAUDA
• 1 hot red chili pepper, such as (Calabrian, Thai bird or arbol)
• 12 garlic cloves
• 20 anchovy fillets (preferably salt-packed), rinsed, back-bones removed if salt-packed, finely chopped, and smashed with the flat side of a knife
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into chunks
• 1 cup chopped parsley

 

• TO PREPARE THE CROUTONS. Pull out the soft inside of rustic bread and tear it into 1 to 1 ½-inch pieces, You can leave  the hard crust behind or tear that as well. The best croutons are the soft middle part. I like to use all of it. Set it aside.
• Smash 20 anchovy fillets and 12 large garlic cloves in a mortar and pestle until ground together. 
• Alternatively, you can chop the anchovies into a paste with a knife and use a Microplane to grate the garlic.
• Combine unsalted butter and extra-virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Once the butter completely melts, add the anchovy-garlic paste and the chili.
• Cook over medium-low heat until the anchovies dissolve and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes. 
• Stir constantly so the garlic doesn't brown.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook the bagna cauda for another 2 to 3 minutes to meld the flavors. ​
• Turn off the heat, ​stir in the chopped parsley and let the bagna sauce rest in the pan until ready to use it.
• Put the bread chunks in a mixing bowl and drizzle about 1/2 cup of the prepared bagna cauda over the bread chunks, tossing with your hands to coat. (I use much more than a 1/2 cup. It's so delicious!)
• Transfer bread crumbs to a large baking sheet.
• Adjust oven rack to the center and turn to 325 degrees.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the croutons are golden brown and crispy, tossing and rotating the pan halfway through baking for even browning.
• Remove the croutons from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.

    ​To assemble the salad.

In a large bowl, add the escarole and drizzle with 1/2 cup of the dressing and gently toss with your hands and massage to coat the escarole. Add the cauliflower if using, and add more dressing and adjust to your liking.
Scatter croutons on top of your salad.
​Add grated parmesan and cracked black pepper.