This is a great, lighter alternative to a Caesar salad—it hits all the same taste notes without the heavy creamy dressing. Don’t be afraid of the anchovies in the Salsa Verde. The strong flavor melts away and you’re left with a subtle complexity. If you don’t say anything, no one will ever know that they’re in there. Celery is another of those often-underappreciated vegetables that is worth highlighting, and this salad does just that.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6

　　2 heads romaine lettuce, tough outer leaves discarded and the rest torn into bite-size pieces

　　1/2 bunch celery, thinly sliced, leaves included

　　1 cup Garlic Croutons (page 119)

　　1/4 cup Salsa Verde (recipe follows)

　　

Salsa Verde

1/4 cup salted capers, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and drained

　　1 cup fresh parsley leaves

　　3/4 cup olive oil

　　Juice from 1 lemon

　　1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

　　2 anchovy fillets packed in oil

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　(makes 1 cup)

　　

Step 1

Combine the romaine, celery, and croutons in a large mixing bowl. Dress with the salsa verde, making sure to lightly toss the greens but thoroughly incorporate the dressing.

　　

Salsa Verde

Step 2

Combine the capers, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, anchovies, and salt in a blender. Blend on low speed just until well chopped but still somewhat coarse.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Copyright © 2011 by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernadin, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation.Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Café. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn't really stick.Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy award—and James Beard award— winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.