Where did spring go? In New England we seemed to jump right into summer.

I’ve been doing all of my baking for the bread book in the mornings, before the heat and the humidity really set in. And after a morning covered in dough, with flour crusted along my hair line from pushing errant locks out of my face, the only thing that I really like “cooking” for dinner is salad. (Although I should be honest, salads are pretty much all I want to eat from June through August, book or no book!)

Last week, I made a jar of Caesar dressing, which I loved. I hadn’t had a Caesar salad in quite awhile. Since the days when it seemed that every restaurant had a soggy salad topped with grilled chicken on the menu, but now, everything old is new again.

This Caesar was made in the food processor, so it comes together quickly. The dressing was garlicky, briny, thick, and smooth. And because of its pungent flavor, you could be judicious with the application. One recipe actually made quite a few salads.

I made it with the traditional romaine one night, with gem lettuces the next, and my favorite, torn bits of hardy, curly kale. (I think that kale salad will be to the 2010s what Chinese chicken salad was to the 80s, and traditional Caesar was to the 90s. Don’t you?) Each salad was tossed with rustic croutons, for extra crunch and interest, and because I love a crouton.

Maybe this summer will be the season of Caesar for me. Only time, and heat will tell. Here’s the recipe, so you can make a jar too.

Caesar Dressing
adapted from A Girl and Her Pig

7 anchovies
2 peeled cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1 large egg
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Pulse the anchovies and the garlic in a food processor to form a rough paste. Add the mustard, vinegar, lemon, and egg, and process until smooth and creamy.

With the processor on, gradually drizzle in the oils, creating an emulsion. Mix in the Parmesan cheese, taste for seasoning, put in a jar or bowl for storage in the refrigerator. The dressing will thicken as it refrigerates. It will keep for about 1 week.