Here in Berkeley we are slowly shifting into spring. The trees are just starting to blossom and the birds are returning to the backyard. It feels good to have the sun shining a little bit more and a little bit longer.

For me, the transition into a new season brings a change in my palate and after a winter of warm, comforting foods, I begin to crave raw salads, greens and crunchy vegetables. I think the Caesar salad is perfect for this transitional time, with crunchy greens warmed up a bit by a thick creamy dressing (and of course, croutons).

It is worth the time and energy to make your salad dressings at home. Store bought dressings (even most of the organic ones) are filled with additives to ensure that they can hang out on the shelf for a long time (great for grocers, not for you). This dressing whips up in a blender in a couple of minutes and will last a few days in the fridge (you can make more salads or spread it on a sandwich).

Roasted Garlic Caesar Dressing

In a Caesar salad the dressing is really the star, so source the best ingredients. It is worth buying an imported Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a quality extra-virgin olive oil. I used anchovy fillets packed in olive oil, but many chefs prefer anchovies packed in salt (these need to be rinsed a few times).

(Yields 1 cup)

4 roasted garlic cloves (check out Simply Recipes for a great how-to on roasting garlic)
3 anchovy fillets
2 organic egg yolks*
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1⁄2 lemon
1⁄2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (divided)
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
bag of mixed salad greens (or spinach, romaine)
1 loaf of organic focaccia bread (or high quality Italian bread, whole-wheat loaf)

To make dressing:

Put the garlic cloves, anchovies, egg yolks, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice and red wine vinegar into a blender and process until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil very slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and add a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Taste to see if the dressing is balanced; if it needs a little more zing, add a touch more lemon juice. To thin it out, add 2 tablespoons water.

To dress salad, place greens in a large bowl (I like to use a mesculin mix instead of romaine) and add in dressing about 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing it all in with your hands. The goal is to have the greens lightly coated with the dressing, so add the dressing slowly until it reaches your desired consistency. Garnish with a pinch of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

To make the croutons:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Split the bread loaf in half to make two long pieces. Slice the loaf into long fingers. Place the fingers on a baking sheet and drizzle the remaining exra-virgin olive oil over them. Bake for about 5-8 minutes, checking a few times to ensure they do not burn. Serve with the salad.

*This dressing uses raw eggs. If you would prefer you can substitute a 1/2 cup of organic mayonnaise.

Evidence of spring: