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Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons (Giada De Laurentiis) Recipe

Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons (Giada De Laurentiis) Recipe

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Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons (Giada De Laurentiis)

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Ingredients:

Serving

3 garlic cloves
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups basic polenta , recipe follows
vegetable oil , for deep frying
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 oz 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.
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.
(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.)
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.
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.
Basic Polenta:
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add salt. 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. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.
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.
Yield: 2 cups polenta
CookTime: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours

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Nutrition Facts

Per Serving Per 100 g

Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories	708.27 Kcal (2965 kJ)
Calories from fat	419.59 Kcal
		% Daily Value*
Total Fat	46.62g	72%
Cholesterol	7.23mg	2%
Sodium	376.64mg	16%
Potassium	1593.36mg	34%
Total Carbs	59.61g	20%
Sugars	5.99g	24%
Dietary Fiber	14.6g	58%
Protein	15.41g	31%
Vitamin C	39.7mg	66%
Vitamin A	2.4mg	79%
Iron	6.3mg	35%
Calcium	356.3mg	36%

Amount Per 100 g
Calories	104.25 Kcal (436 kJ)
Calories from fat	61.76 Kcal
		% Daily Value*
Total Fat	6.86g	72%
Cholesterol	1.06mg	2%
Sodium	55.44mg	16%
Potassium	234.52mg	34%
Total Carbs	8.77g	20%
Sugars	0.88g	24%
Dietary Fiber	2.15g	58%
Protein	2.27g	31%
Vitamin C	5.8mg	66%
Vitamin A	0.3mg	79%
Iron	0.9mg	35%
Calcium	52.4mg	36%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

salty
savory
bitter
sweet

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