Caesar Salad with Bacon, Brussels Sprouts, and Basil

Ingredients:

Salad dressing

• 1 egg yolk
• 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove of garlic, grated
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp brine from a jar of capers
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped, plus 1/2 tsp oil from the jar

Salad

• 230 g bacon, diced
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 1 tbsp. capers
• 5 heads of cabbage Brussels sprouts, disassemble into leaves
• Coarse salt
• 2 heads of cabbage romaine lettuce, remove the outer leaves, cut the rest into strips 2.5 cm wide.
• 1/2 cup fresh leaves basilica
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Coarsely grated Parmesan, for sprinkling

Preparation:

1. Prepare the salad dressing: Beat the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, lemon juice, and caper brine with a mixer until smooth. While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil, then the vegetable oil. Stir in the anchovies and anchovy oil. Cover the sauce with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Prepare the salad: Cook the bacon in a skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 12-15 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain excess fat.
3. Heat 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable oil in a saucepan or deep fryer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Place the capers in a small metal strainer, then lower them into the hot oil and fry until crisp, 1-2 minutes. Transfer them to the paper towels. Lower the Brussels sprouts, one at a time, into the hot oil and fry until crisp, 1-2 minutes. Transfer the sprouts to the paper towels and season with salt.
4. Pour three-quarters of the dressing into a large salad bowl. Add romaine lettuce, basil, and finely grated Parmesan cheese, and toss to combine. Sprinkle the Caesar salad with coarsely grated Parmesan cheese, bacon, capers, and Brussels sprouts. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.