Soups & Salads
Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Croutons
Description
In this creative remix of a classic Caesar, Melissa Rubel Jacobson pan-fries tofu cubes until they become crisp and crouton-like. Plus, she blends soft tofu with olive oil, lemon juice and an anchovy to make a terrific Caesar-style dressing without the standard raw egg yolks.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces soft silken tofu, drained
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, drained
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- One 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 romaine hearts (1 pound), torn into bite-size pieces
Directions
- In a blender, puree the silken tofu with the olive oil, lemon juice, the 1 1/2 tablespoons of Parmigiano, the anchovy, garlic, Worcestershire and mustard; season the dressing with salt and pepper.
- Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels and press out some of the water. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil until shimmering. In a bowl, toss the tofu with the cornstarch until coated. Add the cubes to the oil and fry over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the croutons to a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt.
- In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the dressing and two-thirds of the croutons. Transfer the salad to plates and top with the remaining croutons. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and serve.
