A good Caesar Salad … that is what Michael has been in search of ever since he had one he called the best he’d ever had at a restaurant in New York on 59th street. I never tasted that salad as I have never been to New York, just hasn’t been on my bucket list of things that I want to do in life.
Anyway, since this was a food item that Michael enjoyed, I naturally had to try and make one. That’s just the curiosity side of me disturbing my calm wondering out loud in my head “How is a Caesar Salad made? And what makes one Caesar better than another one?”
I went on an online search for a recipe and found one that I thought might work. Of course, I’ve made some changes in putting this recipe together. The coddled egg, for example, I “coddle” a little longer than the recipe suggests. I use crushed garlic from a jar instead of the fresh garlic, and I mix everything together in a blender. It’s not the most chef-like manner – but the results are all that matter, and Michael loves the way the salad turns out.
Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 tablespoon ground mustard
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 1 egg
- 1 lemon juiced
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups garlic croutons
- 1 2 ounces can of anchovy filets
Instructions
- Clean lettuce thoroughly and wrap it in paper towels to absorb moisture. Refrigerate until crisp, at least 1 hour or more.
- In a bowl or jar combine oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, mustard, garlic, and lemon juice. Whisk until well blended. (Or use a blender – that's my preferred method).
- Coddle egg by heating 3 cups of water to boiling. Drop-in egg and let stand for 1 minute. Remove the egg from the water and let cool. Once cooled crack open and whisk the egg into the dressing. Whisk until thoroughly blended. (Or use a blender -again my preferred method).Note: the cooked egg really should be cold when you add it to the dressing.
- Mash desired amount of anchovies and whisk them into the dressing. If desired set aside a few for garnish. (Yes you guessed it … I just put the anchovies directly into the blender and blend everything together).
- I like to put the dressing in the refrigerate to chill before mixing assembling the salad. We also like to grill some chicken to put on top of the salad.
- To assemble, place torn lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Pour dressing over the top and toss lightly. Add the grated cheese, garlic croutons, and freshly ground pepper, and toss. Serve immediately!