Name: Caesar Salad with Homemade Tapenade Croutons
Yield: Makes 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients: 1/3 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves; One 1-pound loaf of day-old bread, preferably sourdough, sliced and cut into large cubes (about 2 cups); 1 recipe Black and Green Olive Tapenade; 2 heads of baby romaine lettuce, or 1 large head of romaine; 1 recipe Caesar Vinaigrette; Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Editor's note: This recipe is from chef Wolfgang Puck.

If you don't have a Caesar salad on your menu in California, the customers will rebel. For a zesty Provençal touch, the Caesar at Spago is served with croutons slathered with our homemade tapenade.

When you can find baby romaine, use it. If you can't, trim the outer leaves of the larger variety and, if necessary, break them into bite-size strips.

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