Gem Lettuce Salad with Chile Dressing and Breadcrumbs

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This memorable take on a Caesar salad features a sensational dressing flavored with Worcestershire sauce, anchovy, sour cream and Calabrian chiles—mild, fruity Italian peppers that are jarred in oil. Slideshow: More Salad Recipes 

By
Vinny Dotolo & Jon Shook
201003-ip-detolo-shook.jpg
Vinny Dotolo & Jon Shook

Why they won Because the duo have created a no-holds-barred meat-centric restaurant that has made L.A. excited to eat fried chicken livers. Born (VD) 1979 (JS) 1981 Raised (VD) Clearwater, FL (JS) South Miami, FL Education (BOTH) The culinary program at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Experience (BOTH) The Strand, Miami Beach; Wildflower, Vail, CO; Chadwick, Los Angeles. How they got their start (JS) “[Chef] Ben Ford hired us to cook lunch at Chadwick. But then the restaurant went out of business. So he hired us to paint his house—we hated painting, all we cared about was lunch. Soon we were cooking for Ben’s dad [Harrison Ford].” On the L.A. food scene (VD) “People out here eat like kids: hamburgers, hot dogs, doughnuts. You can tell that so much fast food started here.” Advice to aspiring chefs (JS) Eat out. “When we were 22, 23, we went to see our accountant, and he said we’d spent $150,000 on dining that year. Imagine. But it’s worth it—you get turned on to so many ideas.”

Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on October 1, 2015
Total Time:
30 mins
Yield:
4
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 2 large egg yolks

  • 2 oil-packed Calabrian chiles, drained and chopped

  • 1 oil-packed anchovy fillet, drained

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon sour cream

  • 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 

  • A few dashes of Tabasco

  • 1/2 cup grapeseed oil

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot

  • Kosher salt

  • Pepper

Breadcrumbs

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup panko

  • 1/2 teaspoon chopped oregano

  • A few pinches of garlic powder

  • Kosher salt

Salad

  • 4 heads of Little Gem lettuce (1 pound), leaves pulled apart

  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

Make the dressing

  1. In a food processor, combine the first 11 ingredients and puree until blended. With the machine on, slowly drizzle in both oils. Scrape the dressing into a medium bowl and stir in the cheese and shallot. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the breadcrumbs

  1. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Add the panko and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the oregano and garlic powder and season with salt. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

Make the salad

  1. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce leaves with 1/2 cup of the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Layer the lettuce on plates and top with the breadcrumbs. Garnish with grated cheese and parsley and serve, passing the remaining dressing at the table.

Make Ahead

The dressing can be refrigerated for 3 days. The breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container overnight.

Suggested Pairing

A fruity sparkling rosé from France.

Originally appeared: October 2015

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