“Black garlic can make nearly anything taste good,” says Silver Iocovozzi, chef at Neng Jr.’s in Asheville, North Carolina. Made by aging regular garlic in a warm environment for a few weeks, the resulting cloves are jammy in texture, jet-black, and slightly sweet, with a deep, almost mushroom-like flavor. Locate black garlic at some specialty markets and Asian grocery stores.
In this twist on the classic Caesar salad, black garlic blends with anchovies and lemon juice to form an inky, deeply savory dressing for romaine lettuce; the torn shiso leaves are optional but provide a light, minty lift. Says Iocovozzi, “Save the leftover dressing—it can be used as a sauce for so many things, including as a delicious barbecue marinade.”
What you’ll need
Blender
$49 $40 At Amazon
Platter
$41 $35 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Purée 3 oz. black garlic, peeled (about 6 cloves), ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice, and ¼ cup warm water in a blender until smooth. Add one 2-oz. tin oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained, coarsely chopped, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), and season with freshly ground pepper; blend until smooth. With motor running, gradually stream in ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil; blend until incorporated.
Step 2
Place 4 heads of romaine lettuce, leaves separated, largest leaves halved crosswise, in a large bowl; drizzle dressing over as desired and toss to coat. (Save any remaining dressing for another use.) Transfer salad to a platter. Tear shiso leaves over (if using) and top with more Parmesan.
Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Recipe notes
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