Labor of Love

One recent Friday afternoon I told my co-worker I needed to leave work right at 5:00 so that I could run home to make croutons.

“Croutons?” she said. “You make your own croutons?”

I explained that my friend Kathy had asked me to supply Caesar Salad for a surprise going away party that weekend for her daughter Hayley. Caesar Salad for fifty, mind you.

My co-worker shook her head and laughed. “I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a homemade crouton. I don’t think I’ve ever had one,” she added with a note of wistfulness.

“It’s a real labor of love.” I told her.
Hours later, my trusty Dansko clogs no longer assuaging the ache in my feet, I wrapped a twist tie around the final bag of golden, garlicky, crunchy cubes of sourdough. My stove top was covered with tiny crumbs and I was long past ready to call it a night.

As I looked at the huge bags of croutons mounded on top of my kitchen island I reflected that my efforts were well worth it because the guest of honor had requested my salad specifically. I’d thought briefly about taking a shortcut and finishing the croutons in the oven but knew the results wouldn’t be the same. A long, slow stir in a cast iron frying pan was the only way to ensure each batch was worthy of my dad’s Caesar Salad recipe.

Some of my friends express their love in similar ways.

Take Tim, for instance.
After long days of tending clients’ gardens he can be found in his own back yard, watering, weeding, hoeing and planting. Seeing his number pop up on Caller ID usually means one of two wonderful things: I’m either about to be invited to a transcendent meal he has prepared featuring the fruits (and vegetables) of his labor in the garden. Or, he’s on his way over to bring me a plastic grocery bag stuffed with still quivering salad greens plucked that morning from his hallowed ground. The bonus is that they are already washed and layered neatly with paper towels. My work week is instantly easier because he has been so thoughtful.

My husband’s pals know he has an insatiable sweet tooth. Those that know him best also know that German Chocolate Cake is his all time favorite. So when Nancy made Juan a three layer beauty one year on a joint vacation, he was touched. Kathy and I realized what a true labor of love it was because she pulled it off in something akin to an Easy Bake oven in the cabin’s 80 square foot hot, stuffy kitchenette while the rest of us were lounging streamside in hammocks.

A work colleague, Sandy, makes bourbon balls every year for Christmas gifts, somehow squeezing the task into a 70 hour work week.

Then there’s Rye who religiously tends his sourdough starter, feeding it weekly so it doesn’t die. I tried his technique for a few weeks this summer and it was as if I had a squalling baby in the house such was my guilt when I was too lazy to feed my batch as it required.

When we are lucky our love of food and cooking makes others happy. Sometimes how it makes us feel is enough. The Monday after Hayley’s surprise party I showed up to work early with a baggie of croutons for my co-worker and placed them on her desk. Her reaction to this simple gift makes me smile still.

Patton Family Caesar Salad
Serves 6 as a side or starter. 3-4 as an entrée.

The croutons are the labor of love in this recipe. While it’s much quicker to bake them in the oven, this method yields superior results. You can’t go watch TV while they cook this way or they will burn when you ultimately forget about them. You’ll be tethered to the stove for at least 90 minutes, stirring them every 10-15 minutes or so.

If you are hesitant about eating nearly raw eggs, skip this recipe entirely. It’s not the same without them.

One 1 lb. loaf good quality sourdough bread, cut into cubes about ¾” to 1” square.
(you should have about 7-8 cups bread cubes)
4 Tblsp. olive oil

6 hearts of Romaine, well trimmed, leaves separated, washed and dried.

2 big fat cloves of garlic, peeled
Juice of 2 lemons—about ¼ cup. (or more to taste)
¼ tsp ground mustard
2 healthy glugs of Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground pepper—about 10 grinds from a mill
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 can anchovy filets
½ to ¾ cup olive oil

2 eggs

¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (or more to taste)


Croutons:
Heat 4 Tblsp. olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan (preferably cast iron) until almost smoking. Add bread cubes, tossing quickly until evenly coated with the olive oil. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until croutons are golden brown and crisp, about 1.5 hours. Just before you declare them done, smoosh one of the garlic cloves in a press and scrape all of the pulp into the pan. Toss over heat for about a minute allowing all of the croutons to come in contact with the sizzling garlic.

Turn the croutons into a bowl and set aside while you make the salad. If you make them ahead of time, store in an air tight container after they cool.

Coddled Eggs:
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Gently lower the eggs into the water and boil for exactly one minute. Remove the eggs and set aside.

Dressing:
Mince one of the garlic cloves in the food processor. Scrape down the bowl. Add the next 5 ingredients. Pulse to blend. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified. Taste the dressing when you’ve added a ½ cup then continue adding the additional ¼ cup until the acidity of the lemon juice is balanced to taste. The dressing should be fairly tart.

Shortly before tossing the salad, separate the anchovy filets and drop them into the processor bowl. Pulse just enough to chop the anchovies into small pieces. Be careful not to completely pulverize or incorporate them.

Assembling the Salad:

Tear the lettuce into small pieces and put in a large salad bowl. The bigger the bowl, the better, as this salad needs lots of assertive tossing.

Crack the eggs over the lettuce and scoop out any cooked egg white with a spoon, adding to the salad. Toss the lettuce well, ensuring the leaves are evenly coated with the egg.

Pulse the dressing one last time and pour about two thirds of it over the salad. Toss well and taste, adding more dressing as desired. If you don’t use all the dressing ensure you scoop out the anchovy bits from the bottom of the processor bowl. Toss well again. Taste again for seasoning.

Add the parmesan and toss again.

Finally, add the croutons, toss one last time and serve.