Ah, the ubiquitous Caesar salad…which has nothing to do with Julius Caesar! This salad was created on July 4, 1924, by Caesar Cardini in his namesake restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. The story goes that the kitchen was overwhelmed by the rush of Fourth of July customers & ended up short on ingredients. The industrious Cardini made do with what he had on hand, dramatically tossed the salad at the tables of his customers & viola, the Caesar salad was born. Caesar salads are certainly delish with their umami-rich ingredients & satisfyingly crunchy bits. But there are times when I’d like to transform it into a heartier, more substantial side dish. Look no further than this Broccoli Caesar Salad spin-off. It contains everything you love about Caesar salads…and a whole lot more! Try it tonight!
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs broccoli crowns, trimmed, halved lengthwise
- 2 T olive oil
- 1/4 t salt
- 2 (1/2″ thick) slices rustic white bread, bottom crusts removed
- 3 anchovies, drained reserving 1-1/2 T oil, minced
- 1 oz Parmesan cheese, 1/2 oz grated fine & 1/2 oz shaved
- 1/4 c mayonnaise
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1-1/2 t Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 t Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 t pepper
Adjust oven rack to middle position & heat oven to 500 deg.
Place 1 broccoli crown half, cut side down, on cutting board & slice stalks 1/8″ thick up to base of florets. Reserve sliced stems. Break or cut florets into 1″ pieces. Transfer florets to rimmed baking sheet. Repeat w/ remaining crowns.
Drizzle florets with oil, sprinkle with salt & toss well. Arrange florets so they cover 3/4 of sheet. Place bread slices on remaining 1/4 of sheet. Brush both sides of bread with reserved anchovy oil & season with salt.
Roast until bread is crisp & deep golden brown, 5-8 min. Transfer bread to cutting board. Spread florets over entire sheet & continue to roast until browned & crisp, about 5 min longer. Transfer sheet to wire rack & let cool for 5 min.
While broccoli is cooling, whisk anchovies, grated Parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, Worcestershire & pepper together in large bowl. Tear bread into 1/2″ pieces.
Add reserved broccoli stems, florets & half of croutons to bowl with dressing & toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowl. Top with remaining croutons, shaved Parmesan & pepper. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted & photo cred from How to Make Broccoli Caesar Salad | Cook’s Illustrated.
For more veggie sides, check out: