Hail Caesar!

When I eat this salad I feel like I'm on the deck at Bridges Restaurant enjoying the view with the wind in my hair. I'm not sure exactly how food can transport you to other times and places, it just does and who am I to question?

After yesterday's post it got me thinking what recipes I revisit the most and I immediatly thought of this Grilled Chicken & Arugula Caesar Salad with Grilled Croutons. From an issue of Fine Cooking magazine (issue 65 - which dates it back to July 2004), this salad is one of the better Caesar variations I've made. The recipe below is exactly as the magazine published it, but read 'my note' below for some insights and tips.

I hope this recipe sweeps you up and carries you to your own happy place.

Grilled Chicken & Arugula Caesar Salad with Grilled Croutons

4 oz. baby arugula (about 5 cups loosely packed), washed and dried
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
2 large cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh, finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1-1/2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 3 large), rinsed and patted dry
4 slices French baguette, cut 1 inch thick on an extreme diagonal (6 to 8 inches long)
Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (optional)

Heat a gas grill to medium high. Put the arugula in a large bowl, cover with a damp paper towel, and refrigerate. In a blender, combine the lemon juice and zest, anchovies, garlic, and peppercorns with 6 Tbs. of the oil, 1 Tbs. of the mustard, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Blend thoroughly until most of the peppercorns are well broken up and the dressing is emulsified. Add 2 Tbs. of the grated Parmigiano and blend to incorporate. Leave the dressing in the blender.

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the remaining 1 Tbs. mustard and 3/4 tsp. salt. Brush the bread with the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and season with salt. Grill the chicken, covered, until golden grill marks form, 5 to 6 min. (for even cooking, rotate the chicken 90 degrees halfway through cooking each side). Flip the breasts and continue to cook, covered, until golden grill marks form and the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 min. Let rest on a cutting board for 5 min. Grill the bread until dark around the edges and golden brown in the center, 1 to 2 min. per side. Slice the chicken thinly on an angle. Cut each bread slice into 10 cubes. Pulse the dressing in the blender; add a little of it to the arugula, just to coat.

Divide the arugula among four plates and sprinkle with a little Parmigiano. Toss the chicken with the remaining dressing and arrange over the arugula. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano and arrange the croutons and tomatoes (if using) around the salad.

My Note: I've got a great blender, but it still isn't up to the job of breaking down whole peppercorns. So before they go in the blender, I roughly pound the whole peppercorns in my mortar and pestle. A cast-iron skillet, rolling pin, or any blunt instrument wouldly likely do a fine job too.

I've made this salad with romaine lettuce, when there has been no arugula available, and leave out the anchovies more often than not as they aren't a pantry staple for me so I seldom have them on-hand. Regardless of these small adjustments, this recipe works well.