Lemony Chicken Caesar Salad with Garlic-Parmesan Toasts

Serves four to six

Vinaigrette

1 lemon, zested and juiced (1 tbl zest, 2 tbl juice)
1/4 freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons cream cheese or mascarpone
2 teaspoons Dijon justard
1 small clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauve
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
a dash of Tabasco
salt and pepper to taste

Put all but the olive oil into the blender and process until pureed,
Then with the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.


Salad

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 baguette, cut into eight 1/2 inches thick slices on the extreme diagonal so they're about 6 inches long
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 cups thinly sliced leftover roast chicken
1 pound romaine hearts - about 2 medium, in 2 inch pieces

Heat the oven to 435 degrees F. Combine the oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Put the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush them with the oil micture. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmigiano. Bake until brown, maybe 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, tossed together the chicken and 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. In a salad bowl, toss the romaine and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano and enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the lettuce. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, put the romaine on a plate and top with the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano and some black pepper and add a piece of toast.

This recipe is from the January 2007 issue of Fine Cooking on page 42-43.