Kale Caesar Salad

One of the best food decisions I've ever made was to start making my own salad dressings. It's difficult to find bottled salad dressings without those cheap, unhealthy oils, and once I realized how much better homemade salad dressing tastes I was sold! I'll never go back. 

Most salad dressings are either oil or mayonnaise based, and I have a substitute for each. For any creamy dressings I use Greek yogurt, and I use olive oil for the rest. Most are as easy as stirring together a few ingredients and serving, but a few require a food processor. Usually the best ones, so it's always worth it. This caesar dressing is really, really worth it.

This salad is good with just romaine lettuce, but I'm always looking for ways to sneak super foods into my meals and blanched kale is a great way. I also really enjoy the variety of texture and flavor that mixing greens adds to a salad. 

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

6 anchovy fillets, packed in oil

2 garlic cloves

½ teaspoon kosher salt

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

                        

In a blender or food processor, pulse the anchovies, garlic cloves and salt until it forms somewhat of a paste. Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon mustard, black pepper, and olive oil; blend until completely incorporated. Mix in the parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning, adding salt or pepper accordingly. Transfer to a container or bowl and store in the refrigerator, covered until ready to use. Can be stored for about 3 days.

              

FOR THE SALAD

1 large head of romaine lettuce

1 bunch of kale

Shaved parmesan, for topping

Tear kale into pieces, remove stalks, and place in a metal colander. Pour boiling water over the kale and stir to make sure all the kale is softened by the hot water. You may want to place the kale in a bath of ice water to stop the cooking process, or just toss kale until completely cooled. Tear romaine lettuce into pieces and combine with kale.

FOR THE CROUTONS

1 baguette (or extra pizza crust)
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

When serving this salad with pizza sometime I will bake an extra piece of pizza crust dough and then chop it up to make croutons. Pizza crust croutons are really tasty! 

Regardless, cube whatever bread you're using and toss with olive oil, garlic powder if desired, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Broil in the oven for a few minutes until crusty and golden brown.

Toss with salad dressing and croutons, and sprinkle with shaved parmesan.