Sesame Caesar Salad with Crispy Anchovies

Name: Sesame Caesar Salad with Crispy Anchovies
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste; 2 teaspoons Sessy Soy Sauce; 2 teaspoons fish sauce; 1 egg yolk; ½ teaspoon sugar; ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons Sessy Sesame Oil; 1 cup tiny dried anchovies; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon Sessy Soy Sauce; 1 tablespoon Sessy Sesame Oil; 1 tablespoon honey; 2 heads romaine lettuce, small leaves left whole, large ones chopped (6 to 8 cups total); Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper

This is a sesame Caesar that combines a classic Caesar with the daikon salad Chef Esther used to order after shifts at Hagi, an izakaya in NYC. Like Hagi’s version, it’s topped with tiny fried dried anchovies (the kind used in myulchi banchan) over romaine in an umami-rich dressing.

Ingredients

Sesame Caesar Dressing

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons Sessy Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon sugar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Sessy Sesame Oil

Crispy Anchovies

1 cup tiny dried anchovies
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Sessy Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Sessy Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon honey

Salad

2 heads romaine lettuce, small leaves left whole, large ones chopped (6 to 8 cups total)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Time to Make (30 min)

Level up this recipe with Sessy

Sesame Oil (250 mL)

$17.50

Soy Sauce (250 mL)

$12.00

Instructions

Step One

Pulse the sesame seeds in a blender a couple of times to break up the seeds. Add in lemon juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, yolk, and sugar and pulse briefly to combine.

Step Two

With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and sesame oil until all the oil is added. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, or up to 3 days.

Step Three

In a large, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the anchovies until they become slightly crisp to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer anchovies to a bowl and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel.

Step Four

In the same pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Return the anchovies to the pan and satué until crispy, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey and cok untl the anchovies are well-coated. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Step Five

Put the romaine in a large salad bowl and season with pinches of salt and pepper. Drizzle a generous amount of dressing over the top, then scatter the anchovies on top.

Products Used

Uses Sesame Oil Uses soy sauce

Tip

Serve with a martini for the ultimate girl dinner!