Tsubaki Caesar Salad
Thomas J. Story
Los Angeles restaurant Tsubaki’s take on the Caesar salad is upgraded with a mix of romaine and Salanova lettuces and an umami-rich dressing of Kewpie mayonnaise, miso, and ponzu. Panko breadcrumbs stand in for the traditional croutons.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “These Ridiculously Delicious Yakitori Recipes Will Have You Grilling This Fall.”
How to Make It
1
Prepare the Lettuce: Quarter romaine and Salanova lettuces lengthwise. Then slice the long pieces crosswise. You want manageable, bite-sized pieces.
2
Make the Dressing: In a blender, combine the garlic, shallot, Kewpie mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, miso, ponzu, and fish sauce. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano, dark sesame oil, and extra virgin olive oil until well-combined.
3
Prepare the Panko: Heat the neutral oil in a pot over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 350°F (check with an instant-read thermometer). Add the panko crumbs, stirring often until they turn golden brown. Drain the panko into a colander over a bowl. Transfer panko to a tray lined with paper towels. Microplane the garlic cloves over the hot panko and season with salt.
4
Assemble the Salad: Toss the greens with a generous amount of dressing. Garnish with fried panko, shredded nori, and bonito threads.
Ingredients
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1 head Salanova lettuce, chopped
For the Dressing
3 cloves garlic
1 medium shallot
⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
⅓ cup white miso
⅓ cup ponzu
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, microplaned or finely grated
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Fried Panko
1 pint neutral oil (such as grapeseed)
1 pint coarse Panko breadcrumbs
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely grated
salt
For the Garnish
shredded nori
bonito threads
Directions
1
Prepare the Lettuce: Quarter romaine and Salanova lettuces lengthwise. Then slice the long pieces crosswise. You want manageable, bite-sized pieces.
2
Make the Dressing: In a blender, combine the garlic, shallot, Kewpie mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, miso, ponzu, and fish sauce. Blend until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in the Parmigiano Reggiano, dark sesame oil, and extra virgin olive oil until well-combined.
3
Prepare the Panko: Heat the neutral oil in a pot over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 350°F (check with an instant-read thermometer). Add the panko crumbs, stirring often until they turn golden brown. Drain the panko into a colander over a bowl. Transfer panko to a tray lined with paper towels. Microplane the garlic cloves over the hot panko and season with salt.
4
Assemble the Salad: Toss the greens with a generous amount of dressing. Garnish with fried panko, shredded nori, and bonito threads.
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