Ananda Caesar Salad with Cornmeal-Chickpea Pancake

From the kitchen of Carly

Crisp romaine meets a tangy yogurt-based dressing spiked with chile and fresh basil, all anchored by a savory cornmeal-chickpea pancake. This Caesar reimagines a classic with clean proteins and bright spice.

Ananda Caesar Salad with Cornmeal-Chickpea Pancake

A Caesar that trades cream for strained yogurt, anchored by a crispy cornmeal and chickpea pancake that adds nutty depth and real structure to the plate. The chile-flecked yogurt cheese brings tang and complexity, while the pancake gives you something to chew on instead of just lettuce and croutons. It's the kind of salad that actually satisfies.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 cupplain low-fat yogurt
  • 1/8 tspdried Guntur red chile,* seeded and finely chopped
  • 2 largeleaves basil, cut crosswise into thin strips
  • 1 clovegarlic, finely chopped
  • 1/8 tspfine sea salt
  • 1/4 cuponion, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tbspParmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1 tbspsherry vinegar
  • 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tspfine sea salt
  • 4 slicewhole wheat bread, crusts removed
  • 2 clovegarlic, peeled and cut in half
  • 1 tspextra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsponion, finely chopped
  • 2 largeleaves basil, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cupchickpea flour**
  • 1/4 cupfine yellow cornmeal
  • 1/8 tspbaking powder
  • 1/8 tspfine sea salt
  • 1 largeegg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cupwell-shaken buttermilk
  • 2 cupiceberg lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 pieceParmesan cheese, shaved
  • 1*Guntur red chile, native to southern India, is available at Asian and Indian markets. If unavailable, dried ancho or chipotle chiles, or ground ancho chile powder make good substitutes.
  • 1**Chickpea flour, also called gram flour or besan, can be found at Middle Eastern and Indian markets or at Kalustyans.com.
  • 1two 12-inch squares cheesecloth

Instructions

  1. Set a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth over a medium bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the center of the cheesecloth, gather the edges up, and tie them into a bundle. Cover with plastic wrap and let it drain in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Discard the liquid that collects below.

  2. Combine the drained yogurt, chile, basil, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Cover and refrigerate until needed. The yogurt cheese can be made up to 2 days ahead.

  3. Pour the onion, Parmesan, capers, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce into a blender and process until smooth. With the motor still running, stream in the olive oil gradually until the dressing is fully emulsified. Stir in the salt, then pour into a nonreactive airtight container. Chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.

  4. Position an oven rack 3 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler.

  5. Working in 2 batches, lay the bread slices on a large rimmed baking sheet and broil until golden, about 1 minute per side. While each slice is still warm, rub both sides with the cut garlic. Cut into 1-inch cubes and keep warm.

  6. In a heavy 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, warm the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Scatter in the onion and saute until translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in the basil and cook 30 seconds more, then pull the pan off the heat.

  7. Whisk the chickpea flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg and buttermilk together, then pour that mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until smooth. Fold in the sauteed onion and basil, then let the batter rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

  8. Wipe the skillet clean and return it to moderate heat until a drop of water flicked into the pan sizzles on contact. Pour in the batter and cook, flipping once, until light golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Slide the pancake onto a cutting board and cut it into quarters.

  9. Toss the lettuce, dressing, and croutons together in a large bowl until everything is well coated. Divide the salad among 4 medium plates, then set 1 pancake wedge and a quarter of the yogurt cheese on top of each mound. Run a vegetable peeler along the Parmesan block to shave curls over each plate and serve right away.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Drain the yogurt overnight so it thickens into something almost like ricotta, concentrated and tangy. Rushing this step means a loose, watery dressing. Plan ahead.
  • Toast your croutons right before assembly. They soften fast once the dressing hits them, so warm bread stays crisp longest.
  • When you whisk the pancake batter, stop as soon as the dry ingredients disappear. Overworking it makes the cornmeal-chickpea cake tough and dense instead of tender.
  • Shred your Parmesan with a microplane or vegetable peeler for shards that catch light and flavor instead of disappearing into the salad.

Variations

  • Skip the pancake: Toast chickpea flour in a dry pan first, then toss it into the croutons for crunch and protein.
  • Swap the iceberg for kale, massaged with a pinch of salt and a few drops of the dressing 10 minutes before serving, for a salad that holds up longer.
  • Use the yogurt cheese on its own as a dip with roasted vegetables or spread it on toasted bread with herbs instead of making a salad.
  • Brown some anchovy fillets in the oil before sautéing the onion, then skip the Worcestershire for a more traditional, funky Caesar edge.

Make ahead and storage

Refrigerate the dressing and yogurt cheese separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The pancake and croutons are best eaten the same day they're made, but leftover pancake keeps covered in the fridge for 2 days and reheats gently in a low oven. Don't dress the lettuce ahead.