Green Bean Caesar Salad with Baby Romaine Lettuces

Ingredients

• DRESSING
• 2 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and minced
• 1 large egg yolk*
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• SALAD
• 1 pound French green beans (haricots verts), trimmed
• 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-in.-thick strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup 1/2-in. cubes day-old rustic white bread, crusts trimmed
• Fine sea salt and pepper
• 10 ounce mixed baby red romaine and baby green romaine lettuce leaves (10 cups loosely packed)
• 2 garlic cloves, cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices
• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves

Preparation

1. 1. Make dressing: Shake all dressing ingredients together in a medium glass jar. Chill until ready to use.
2. 2. Make salad: Boil beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Scoop into a bowl of ice water to cool; drain again. Cook bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes, and drain on paper towels. Pour out bacon fat and wipe pan clean. Swirl in oil, then add bread cubes and toast, stirring often, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
3. 3. Put beans, lettuces, garlic slices, and tarragon leaves in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat well. Top with bacon and croutons.
4. *If you're serving this to people with compromised immune systems, use pasteurized yolks (find in the egg case at the grocery store) or omit.
5. Make-ahead & packing tips: Prep everything up to 1 day ahead. Pack beans in a container; top with lettuces, then garlic and tarragon. Pack bacon in a small container and chill. Store croutons airtight at room temperature, then add in the bacon before leaving home.
6. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.