Time for salad days after the holiday
Published 2:07 pm Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Associated Press
This hearty Caesar salad with leftover turkey will be a refreshing change from the carb-heavy feasts of Thanksgiving.
To save time, the croutons could be made ahead.
SHREDDED TURKEY AND ARUGULA CAESAR SALAD WITH GRILLED CROUTONS
1/4pound baby arugula (about 5 cups loosely packed), washed and dried
2tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
2teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
4oil-packed anchovy fillets
2large cloves garlic
1/4teaspoon black peppercorns
8tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
4tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4slices French baguette, cut 1 inch thick on an extreme diagonal
2cups shredded cooked turkey
2cups halved cherry tomatoes
Heat a gas grill or the broiler. Place the arugula in a large bowl, then cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate.
In a blender, combine the lemon juice and zest, anchovies, garlic, peppercorns, 6 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mustard and 1/2teaspoon salt. Blend thoroughly until most of the peppercorns are well broken up and the dressing is emulsified.
Add 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and blend to incorporate. Leave the dressing in the blender.
Brush the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then season each slice with salt. Grill or broil the bread until dark around the edges and golden brown at the center, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
If desired, cut each bread slice into 10 cubes. The bread also can be served whole.
Pulse the dressing in the blender. Add a bit of the dressing to the arugula and toss to coat.
Divide the arugula among 4 serving plates and sprinkle with some of the remaining Parmesan.
In a medium bowl, toss the turkey with the remaining dressing, then divide it between the plates of arugula. Sprinkle with Parmesan and arrange the croutons and tomatoes around the salad.
Makes 4 servings.
From “How to Cook a Turkey and All the Other Trimmings,” by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine
