Mastering Caesar Salad

So easy, yet so many mistakes to be made - Let's avoid them

Caesar Salad is the most universally-known salad in the United States. No not potato salad, or Ambrosia salad - The Mighty Caesar Salad. Caesar salad marries the ultimate mix of being “lite” while also having strong bold flavors - tons of umami, lots of “lettucy” bite, garlic-studded croutons (who doesn’t love croutons), and a heaping serving of cheese. Need I say more?

As it goes with food, something often served with minimal ingredients is often lackluster. Not because people get the ingredients wrong, but because they don’t master the techniques that make the simplicity delicious. More on that in a second, but first:

History of Caesar Salad

I asked my kids where the Caesar Salad was invented, and of course, they said Rome. While this isn’t 100% incorrect, it was an Italian chef in Tijuana, Mexico. Ahh the beauty of fusion cuisine. (Note: the Hawaiian Pizza was invented by a Greek restaurant owner in Canada. Famous dishes come from the unlikeliest of places. *Note Note, I will never do a recipe for pineapple pizza)

The Italian chef moved to Tijuana from California to avoid Prohibition, and it was here, on July 4th, 1924, where Caesar is believed to have invented the Caesar Salad. According to his daughter, Rose Cardini, the restaurant was overrun with American customers. Short on ingredients in the kitchen, her father assembled what was left: lettuce stalks, olive oil, raw egg, croutons, parmesan cheese and Worcestershire sauce.

Originally intended as finger food, the original Caesar salad recipe called for whole lettuce leaves, which were to be dipped in the dressing and then eaten with the fingers. It was a hit.

Important Note - I still eat this salad with my fingers.

Important Steps

Here are the keys to making the perfect Caesar Salad:

1. Use only the Hearts of Romaine. The flimsy and woodsy exterior leaves of romaine are disgusting and lack that fresh crunch you need to excite the palate.

   

2. Make your croutons fresh WITHOUT fresh garlic - Freshly made croutons are key, but too often people add chopped garlic and burn the garlic, creating a bitter flavor. I use a mix of olive oil and garlic powder to make the perfect crouton for this salad.

   

3. Toss your romaine with lemon juice and salt before the caesar dressing. I find Caesar dressing to be very rich. It needs a nice acid to balance the flavors and the lemon is perfect against the anchovy base. To make the flavor of the lemon shine, and dress the leaves a touch, I toss the lemon juice and salt with the romaine FIRST, then top with the dressing.

   

4. Use high-quality parmesan. The store-bought pre-grated stuff is good for pasta or pizza, but when you want the cheese to shine, it’s worth the extra expense to buy a good hunk of parmesan.

5. Make your dressing with Mayo instead of raw egg. The creaminess from the mayo is just as good as the egg without the worry. And it lasts longer in the fridge.

6. Add nutritional yeast. This is one of those “secret ingredients” I have posted about this before, nutritional yeast is a wonderful cheeselike flavor that adds a new flavor to a bold dish.

Ingredients:

2 heads - hearts of romaine

1 packed cup of fresh bread cut for croutons

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh parm

1 lemon cut in half for the lettuce

lots of freshly cracked black pepper

For the Dressing:

1 ea Garlic clove small minced

1/2 tsp Anchovy, Chopped

1/2 tbsp Lemon juice Fresh

1/2 tsp Lemon zest

1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup Mayo heavy-duty

1/4 cup Parmesan

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

More freshly micro-planed

Parmesan to finish

Optional - Fresh Chives

Optional - Marinated White Anchovies

Steps:

1. For the croutons, cut your bread, toss in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, parmesan and garlic powder. Roast until crisp in a 375F oven (about 8-10 minutes)

2. For the romaine, clean the leaves with a wet paper towel, then cut into 2 inch pieces.

3. For the dressing: combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix vigorously until it’s emulsified. (use a food processor if you have one).

4. For the Salad: Toss the lettuce with the juice of one lemon and a touch of salt. Then mix in the parmesan, croutons, a touch of salt and fresh cracked pepper.

5. Top with Freshly grated Parmesan (use a micro plane) and white anchovies if you have them. Feel free to add protein.