BLT Caesar Salad

2 heads Romaine lettuce

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 pints cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3/4 pound Applewood-smoked bacon

Sourdough croutons

The Dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Cut bacon into one-half inch slices and cook in a skillet until crisp.  Drain on paper towels.  

Wash the lettuce leaves and spin dry in salad spinner. Cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch slices and place in large salad bowl.

In a food processor with a steel blade, place all dressing ingredients except olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Process them until smooth. Then add olive oil through feed tube slowly while processor is still running, until dressing is thick. Turn off processor, then add Parmesan cheese and pulse a couple of times.

Toss lettuce with the dressing. Add bacon and tomatoes, toss again. Finally add Parmesan and croutons and toss again.

Serves 6