Caesar Salad

Make the croutons:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Oil a baking sheet (with about 1 teaspoon of oil per serving). Lay the bread cubes on the sheet and coat them thoroughly with olive oil. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden, about 10 min. Set aside.

Make the dressing:

2. Drain the anchovy fillets, pat dry on a paper towel, then mince.
3. In a small saucepan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the crushed garlic. Cook 2-3 min until softened. Add the minced anchovies, stirring and mashing 1 min to form a paste. Set aside.
4. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Set aside the whites in a jar in the refrigerator or freezer for future use in another recipe.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the yolks, lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of Cayenne pepper. Add the remaining olive oil in a stream, whisking, until the dressing is emulsified. Add the garlic and anchovy paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Dress the salad:

6. In a nonstick pan, fry the chopped bacon until crisp. Set the bacon aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat.
7. Wash the romaine lettuce, spin-dry. Reserve the outer leaves for another use. Tear the pale-green inner leaves into bite-size pieces.
8. In a salad bowl, toss the romaine with the croutons, the bacon bits, and the dressing until the salad is well combined. Serve.