Caesar Salad with Pancetta and Roasted Tomatoes
Here’s one of my favorite salad recipes: Caesar Salad with Pancetta and Roasted Tomatoes
This is a classic caesar salad that has been jazzed up by the addition of roasted cherry tomatoes and crispy pancetta.
It’s the perfect salad for entertaining. People always love to see something a little different in their salad!
Caesar Salad with Pancetta and Roasted Tomatoes
The roasted tomatoes really add a wonderful flavor to the salad.
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound pancetta,sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large heads Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
DRESSING:
- 1 large yolk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 8 medium anchovy fillets (optional)- I leave these out
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cut pancetta into 1/2-inch cubes and cook it in a skillet over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove to paper towels and drain.
- Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft.
- Wash the lettuce leaves carefully and spin- dry in a salad spinner. Stack the leaves on a cutting board and cut them crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- For the dressing, place the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, anchovies (if using), lemon juice, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor filled with a steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until thick. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and pulse a couple of times.
- Toss the lettuce with enough dressing to moisten well. Add 1 cup grated Parmesan and toss. Divide the lettuce among 6 to 8 plates and sprinkle with pancetta and roasted tomatoes.
Tips:
- If you're wishing to prepare this recipe as GLUTEN FREE, just make sure that the pancetta and Dijon mustard you are using are free of gluten.
SOURCE: RecipeGirl.com (Adapted slightly from Barefoot Contessa Parties!)