Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons

With an excess of leftover pasta in the fridge, I thought what better to go along side it than a caesar salad with a homemade dressing and croutons with a twist. While I was listening to a Shane Dawson podcast on a train back home from school for spring break, he started talking about polenta croutons. I hadn't heard of them before, but I was automatically intrigued. Every since I have wanted to make them and see what they were like, so this seemed like a good opportunity to test it out.

Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons 

Dressing: 

5 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon dijon mustard 

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons mayonnaise 

1/2 cup olive oil 

2 anchovies

1 tablespoon lemon juice  

salt and pepper 

Polenta Croutons: 

1 cup corn meal
3 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup grated parm
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper

For the croutons, start by cooking the polenta how you normally would. Boil the water and add the corn meal, stirring constantly and simmering till it becomes very thick (about 15-25 minutes). Once thickened, stir in the butter and cheese, season with salt and pepper and spread into a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, let set for 10 minutes. Then cut into squares and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray and sprinkle with garlic powder and bake for 30-40 minutes until crispy on the outside. For the dressing blend the garlic, dijon, worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise and anchovies. Then slowly drizzle in oil while blending. Season with salt and pepper and a small amount of lemon juice. Drizzle dressing over romaine lettuce, top with croutons and serve.

I learned that the polenta croutons are best if served straight out of the oven because they are crispy and still soft in the center. I think that the polenta croutons were an interesting take on a classic food and the dressing had a mice garlicky spice to it. I'm starting to run out of ideas for what to make but I am hoping that inspiration
will strike somewhere like it did from the podcast for these croutons. So till next time,
Keep Cooking Brooklyn!