The best Caesar salad

Ingredients:

Toast

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 cups country bread (about 80g), torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tbsp. l. freshly grated parmesan

Salad

• 2 anchovies in oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, room temperature
• 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 tbsp. l. freshly grated parmesan
• 2 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped (see Note)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
   
   Toast:
   
   In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is completely melted, add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt. Stir thoroughly. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the garlic to infuse into the oil mixture.
2. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with garlic oil evenly and toss to coat. Spread the bread in a single layer and bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Stir the bread halfway through to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with black pepper and grated Parmesan. Set aside to cool.
3. Salad:
   
   Soak the anchovies in a small bowl of water for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, drain, and pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop the anchovies and garlic, then mash them into a paste with the side of a knife.
4. Place the anchovy paste, egg yolk, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice in a large bowl and whisk. While whisking, gradually pour in the olive oil until emulsified. Add 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. If necessary, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place the lettuce leaves and croutons in a large bowl and gently toss with the dressing to coat completely. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
   
   Note
   
   The green salad should be thoroughly dried to ensure the dressing evenly coats the leaves. It's best to use a greens dryer and gently pat off excess water with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.