Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons
(from Metro Cooks’s recipe box)
Source: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/chefs/giada-de-laurentiis.html
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 6 people
Categories: Salad
Ingredients
- DRESSING:
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- POLENTA CROUTONS:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 cups Basic Polenta, recipe follows
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
- SALAD:
- 3 small heads (or2 large heads) romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 1/2 ounces shaved Parmesan
Directions
-
To make the dressing:
- Finely chop the garlic and anchovies in a food processor. Blend in the lemon juice and mustard. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the dressing, to taste, with salt and pepper
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.
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To make the croutons: Spread the olive oil over a small baking sheet. Transfer the hot polenta to the baking sheet, spreading evenly to form an 8 by 5 by 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cover and refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.
-
Cut the polenta into 3/4-inch cubes. Pat the polenta cubes dry with paper towels. Add enough vegetable oil to a heavy large frying pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil over high heat. Working in batches of 10, carefully add the polenta cubes to the oil 1 at a time and fry until golden brown, stirring to keep the cubes separate, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the polenta croutons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
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(The dressing and polenta croutons can be prepared 1 day ahead up to this point. Cover the dressing and polenta croutons separately and refrigerate. Rewarm the polenta croutons on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees F oven before serving.)
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To make the salad: Prepare the barbecue for high heat. Grill the lettuce until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Cut the lettuce into bite-size pieces.
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On a serving platter, mound the grilled chopped lettuce. Decoratively scatter the sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Drizzle with enough dressing to evenly coat. Sprinkle Parmesan and scatter the warm polenta croutons over and serve immediately.
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Basic Polenta:
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3 cups water
-
1 teaspoon salt
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1 cup yellow cornmeal
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan.
- Add salt.
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Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 12 to 15 minutes.
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Turn off the heat.
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Add the butter, and stir until melted.
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Lightly oil a half sheet pan. Transfer the hot polenta to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly to 3/4-inch thick. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 2 hours.