Crisp romaine, seared chicken, real anchovy-garlic dressing, and pan croutons. The from-scratch dressing is the entire point.
2 slices
🍞 Sourdough Bread ›
torn for croutons
Mise en place
Before you start
Prep checklist
Sourdough Bread — torn for croutons
Whisk yolk, mustard, anchovy, garlic, and lemon, then drizzle in the olive oil to a creamy dressing. Fold in half the parmesan.
💡
Anchovy is the umami engine — nobody will taste "fish," everyone will taste "better."
Season the chicken, sear over medium-high 5–6 minutes per side to 74°C, and rest before slicing.
Toast the torn bread in the chicken pan with a little oil until golden and crackling.
Toss romaine generously with the dressing, top with chicken, croutons, and the rest of the parmesan.
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate components separately up to 3 days; dress and assemble just before eating.
Freezing
Salads and sandwiches don't freeze; soups freeze beautifully for 3 months.
Reheating
Soups reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. Sandwiches and salads are best assembled fresh — store components separately.
Make ahead
Batch the components (proteins, dressings, grains) on Sunday; assemble in minutes all week.
Wine pairing
Something light and cold — a crisp white, a spritz, or iced tea.
Beer pairing
A crisp pilsner or wheat beer keeps lunch light.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Kettle chips or a simple green salad
·
Quick-pickled vegetables
Garnish
Flaky salt and cracked pepper
A drizzle of good olive oil
Where it comes from
A little history
Invented by Caesar Cardini in Tijuana in 1924, tableside, out of near-empty pantry — proof that constraints make classics.
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