Classic Caesar Salad Time: 15 minutes plus 5 minutes the day before
This is mon mari's specialty ....I have never made it myself, but have eaten lots
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup plus 1 tbs olive oil, the good stuff
3/4 cup bread cubes, preferably cut from a bakery loaf or 'French' bread
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp dry mustard
lots of black pepper
3 anchovy fillets, mashed or the equivalent in anchovy paste
a few drops of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 egg (or egg substitute if your are fussy about eating raw eggs - remember, I am not the food police and
we eat things that are not 'approved' - like raw eggs, pork still pink, rare and raw hamburger) The
egg binds the salad dressing and it's not a proper Caesar without it.
1/2 lemon
2 tbs Parmesan, freshly grated
1 large, fresh head of Romaine - none other will do
The day before peel garlic, cut into 2 or 3 pieces and put it, along with the olive oil, into a small glass dish. Cover with cling film and set aside to steep for 24 hours (or so). Heat 2 tbs of the garlic oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the bread cubes and sauté until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Mash the anchovies in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add the salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, vinegar and remaining garlic oil and mix lightly with a fork. Crack the egg and drop the raw egg onto the vinegar and oil. Squeeze the lemon half over the egg, watching for and removing any pips. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Tear Romaine into bit-size pieces and put on top of dressing. Toss well with tongs (mon mari swears 'hands' are best). Add the croutons, toss a bit more and serve immediately. (The men in the family say that one can tell if it is a proper Caesar Salad if one has a slight glisten on the brow when finished eating - women, of course, never glisten...)
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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