Spicy Caesar Salad with Chipotle Croutons

Ingredients:
Chipotle Croutons
6 slices of rustic bread (sourdough, French or other), cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Caesar Dressing
1/2 tablespoon Asian chili paste 1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar

24 whole leaves from the heart of Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
For the croutons:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, toss the bread cubes with olive oil. Transfer the cubes to a baking sheet (but don’t put the bowl in the sink – you can use it to mix the dressing). In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, salt, and cracked pepper. Evenly sprinkle the mixture over the bread cubes then toss the bread cubes again with tongs or your fingers to coat all the cubes with spices. Bake the croutons until they’re golden brown, about 5 minutes, and then turn them with a spatula and let the other side brown, about 2 minutes. Set the croutons aside while you make the dressing and the salad.

For the dressing:
In the bowl you used earlier for the bread cubes, combine the chili paste, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Whisk until smooth.

For the salad:
In a large bowl, drizzle the dressing over the Romaine leaves and toss. Transfer the dressed Romaine to a serving platter, and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and the croutons. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a side salad.

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