You will be shocked to learn this Caesar dressing is made with #tofu. For an absolutely filling and healthy dinner add grilled or broiled salmon to your bowl.
We are a meat and potatoes household. End of sentence. I married a redheaded Irish boy and never in a million years saw myself enjoying a bowl of kale and tofu, and enjoying it. Here I stand corrected. I am utterly amazed at how delicious this Caesar dressing turned out. I blended silken tofu with anchovies, mustard, and garlic all the while thinking about bad this will turn out. I imagined Jim turning to me in absolute disgust questioning his faith in me as our family feeder. I too thought it would surely taste flat and fake, but this was such a lovely entree salad.
6 ounces of silken tofu, drained (found in the produce department at my grocery store)
5 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained (I recommend King Oscar Anchovies – Flat Fillets in Olive Oil)
1 garlic clove
1 t dijon mustard
2 T neutral flavored oil (grapeseed or avocado is my preference)
1/4 c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
In a food processor, puree the tofu, anchovies, garlic, and mustard. With the machine on, drizzle in the oil and two tablespoons of water. Add two tablespoons of the cheese and continue to puree. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
For the croutons, I cheated and took frozen garlic bread, cooked it in the oven and then cubed. They were the best croutons I have ever had.
A word about farro. It is a whole grain, much like barley, quinoa, and wheat berries, but is considered an ancient grain because it has been around for generations. Coming to us from Italy, it is almost always sold in the US as pearled, which means it needs less cooking time than the whole or unpearled varieties. I love this because it is a quick 10-minute side dish. Granted, I think it tastes bland on its own, which is why I cook it in chicken broth and it works in this salad, tossed with so many other textures and big bold flavors.
For the baked salmon, I placed the fish skin side down on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzled with olive oil, and seasoned with a light sprinkle salt and pepper. The salmon bakes at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
You will not regret making this Caesar salad with kale, farro, and baked salmon.