Grilled Caesar Salad Soup

• 5 oz sourdough bread, thick slices
• 1 leek, trimmed and cleaned
• 3 romaine hearts, hearts, split
• light olive oil, to taste
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 75–100 g parmesan rind
• 10 anchovies, plus 2 tablespoons of oil
• capers, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• watercress, to taste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream

Preparation

1. Step 1

   6:00
   Slice sourdough bread into thick pieces and trim the root end off the leek, splitting it lengthwise and cleaning thoroughly.
2. Step 2

   6:25
   Split the romaine hearts and brush the cut sides of the bread, leeks, and romaine with light olive oil.
3. Step 3 · 5 minutes

   7:02
   Grill the bread and leeks over high direct heat, turning occasionally until soft and lightly charred.
4. Step 4 · 3 minutes

   7:22
   Grill the romaine cut-side down over high heat for no more than 3 minutes.
5. Step 5

   7:48
   Chop the grilled leeks and romaine into 1-inch pieces and tear the grilled bread into pieces.
6. Step 6

   8:31
   In a 4-quart pot, combine chicken stock, the chopped leeks, and the parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
7. Step 7 · 15 minutes

   10:48
   Simmer the mixture for 15 minutes.
8. Step 8 · 3 minutes

   11:21
   Stir in the charred romaine and simmer for another 3 minutes.
9. Step 9

   11:38
   Remove from heat and stir in 2 oz of the grilled sourdough.
10. Step 10 · 10 minutes

    12:22
    Add the watercress to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Step 11 · 1 minute

    18:30
    Transfer the soup to a blender, filling no more than 2/3 full, and blend on high speed for 1 minute.
12. Step 12

    18:46
    Add the anchovies, lemon juice, cherry vinegar, kosher salt, ground white pepper, and heavy cream to the blender and blend again.
13. Step 13

    19:01
    Fry the remaining bread in a skillet with anchovy oil and olive oil for 3 minutes, then add capers for 30 seconds. Season with black pepper and use as a garnish.