The Essential Dishes of Mika, Chef Michael White’s Ode to the French Riviera — Resy

Little Gem Cesar

White is amused that a Caesar salad has become one of Mika’s most sought-after dishes, though he has given the dressing plenty of thought. He uses Agostino Recca anchovies rather than paste, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and Pecorino Romano, and freshly microplaned garlic. Lemon juice and red wine vinegar provide two kinds of acidity, while a mix of grapeseed and extra virgin olive oils keeps the dressing from overwhelming the little gem lettuce.

The spicy breadcrumbs take a cue from Sicilian pastas, where crisp crumbs add texture and put leftover bread to use. Mika’s kitchen sprinkles them between layers of dressed leaves, so the crunch continues down through the salad. “A chef at this stage doesn’t want to be famous for making great Caesar salads,” White says, “but I’ll take it.”