Bacon Avacado Ceaser Salad

By Patlynn

For the perfect Bacon-Avocado Caesar Salad, we started with our favorite Caesar Salad dressing, which eliminated the raw egg of the traditional dressing but added depth with anchovies and Worcestershire sauce. Using just a small amount of garlic prevented the garlic flavor from overpowering our other ingredients, while vinegar and lemon juice added brightness and balance.

Our tasters would not settle for a mere hint of bacon: They demanded that we add more than just a few strips. For buttery contrast and richness, we added chopped avocado. Cherry tomatoes delivered acidity and color, and croutons seasoned with Dijon mustard and black pepper rounded out the flavors.

Ingredients

• You can substitute two 10-ounce bags of chopped romaine lettuce for the hearts.
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 (12-inch) piece French baguette, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1 cup shredded
• 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 romaine hearts, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 12 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 8 slices cooked bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 pitted, skinned, and chopped avocados

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk oil and garlic in large bowl; reserve ¼ cup. Toss bread with remaining oil mixture, 4 teaspoons of Dijon, and season with salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bake bread on rimmed baking sheet until golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.


2. Process mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, anchovy (if using), lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, the rest of the mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in blender until smooth. With machine running, pour in reserved oil and process until thoroughly incorporated.


3. Toss romaine, shredded Parmesan, and dressing in large bowl. Add croutons, tomatoes, bacon, and avocado and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.