Caesar salad

Okay, show offs. Let's hear your best recipe for this classic.

1. Go to classy restaurant
2. Order "Caesar Salad"
3. Wait, eat, enjoy, belch, pay
4. Go home

No muss, no fuss, to clean-up or leftovers... and if it isn't quite up-to-snuff, blame it on the Salad Chef.

There are many restaurants that lay claim to the 'best' caesar salad, not many can cut it. The best ones Ive tasted were made at the table. Based on what Ive seen, I came up with this:

Ingredients:

(1) Large bunch of Romaine Lettuce, torn into bite size pieces. If you are lazy, you can slice the leaves lengthwise through the center, then cross slice them into bite size slices.

2 tbsp lemon juice
6-8 anchovy fillets sliced up fine or mashed into paste
1 raw egg
1 clove of garlic (mashed through a garlic press)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup of garlic toasted croutons

In an empty salad bowl, whip all the ingredients together except for the lettuce, cheese and croutons. Add the lettuce and croutons, toss to coat everything well, sprinkle cheese on top. This should all be done minutes before serving. Some people like their salad more lemony, salty, fishy, etc - add those things to preference.

I personally like my salad cheesy, so I buy a packet of schilling alfredo sauce mix and add it to the works. Stellar.

Gusto Buono,

Dave.

Several years ago, I had dinner at a restaurant in Sacramento......it was down on the riverfront, & the restaurant was actually an old converted riverboat. They made a caesar salad at the table just like that, and it was really good.

Dave_D said:

snip...
Ingredients:

(1) Large bunch of Romaine Lettuce, torn into bite size pieces. If you are lazy, you can slice the leaves lengthwise through the center, then cross slice them into bite size slices.

2 tbsp lemon juice
6-8 anchovy fillets sliced up fine or mashed into paste
1 raw egg
1 clove of garlic (mashed through a garlic press)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup of garlic toasted croutons

In an empty salad bowl, whip all the ingredients together except for the lettuce, cheese and croutons. Add the lettuce and croutons, toss to coat everything well, sprinkle cheese on top. This should all be done minutes before serving. ....snip

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That is almost identical to mine, except I use less fish, more garlic and add fresh ground black pepper.

I make this often, and it is the best version I have ever eaten. I guarantee no one will recognize the tofu....


Garlic Croutons
2 large cloves garlic , peeled and pressed through a garlic press
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups 1/2-inch white bread cubes (from a baguette)

Caesar Salad
2 ounces silken tofu , drained (about 1/3 cup)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small clove garlic , pressed (1/4 teaspoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced anchovies (about 3 fillets)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large romaine hearts; washed, dried, and torn into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Parmesano Reggiano, of course)

For the croutons, I heat the oil, garlic, and salt in a small pan until foaming, then mix with the bread cubes on a baking sheet, then into a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes or so. The dressing is made in the blender; everything but the oil goes in, then it is blended. After, the oil can be added while the machine is running to form a good emulsion.

The lettuce goes in a large bowl, then half the dressing is added and it is tossed. Then the parmesan goes in, with the rest of the dressing and the croutons. Toss again, serve, and back in the praise from your guests.

My wife won't eat undercooked eggs, so hence the tofu. I have served this to hundreds of people over the years, and no one has noticed the absence of the egg. It is a truly great salad.

Great. For once, this thread is going exactly as planned. I wanted to receive differing opinions as to ingredients and preparations.

I see a shot of Worchestershire isn't a "secret", and, as expected, folks use different amounts of anchovy. I like a lot, and it's nice to see that everyone is mashing filets.

I used to use a whisk, but much prefer the blender method for ease and consistency. I'm in the raw egg camp, but I'll give the tofu a whirl.

Croutons- always made them stovetop. Just toss 'em in butter with a whole clove of garlic (easy to remove when it's "done") in a pan. Reggiano's a given, but I like it shaved (gotta get some use out of the truffle slicer).

This may be sacrilege, but I cut my Romaine. I think the "tear" method dates to the days when nobody had a sharp knife (a good test for sharpness is making a chiffonade of basil- if it turns black right away, sharpen your knife).

Thanks for the input.

Honestly, I like the recipe Alton Brown used on Good Eats. (Also, he maintains that anchovies have no place in a Caesar salad - the Worcestershire sauce provides the flavor you're looking for.)

I can dig it up and post it if anyone is too lazy to go find it at foodtv.com.

ouch said:

Great. For once, this thread is going exactly as planned. I wanted to receive differing opinions as to ingredients and preparations.

I see a shot of Worchestershire isn't a "secret", and, as expected, folks use different amounts of anchovy. I like a lot, and it's nice to see that everyone is mashing filets.

I used to use a whisk, but much prefer the blender method for ease and consistency. I'm in the raw egg camp, but I'll give the tofu a whirl.

Croutons- always made them stovetop. Just toss 'em in butter with a whole clove of garlic (easy to remove when it's "done") in a pan. Reggiano's a given, but I like it shaved (gotta get some use out of the truffle slicer).

This may be sacrilege, but I cut my Romaine. I think the "tear" method dates to the days when nobody had a sharp knife (a good test for sharpness is making a chiffonade of basil- if it turns black right away, sharpen your knife).

Thanks for the input.

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Same here. I always cut it, and have never noticed any blackening or other ill effects.

TromboneGuy said:

Honestly, I like the recipe Alton Brown used on Good Eats. (Also, he maintains that anchovies have no place in a Caesar salad - the Worcestershire sauce provides the flavor you're looking for.)

I can dig it up and post it if anyone is too lazy to go find it at foodtv.com.

Click to expand...

There are anchovies in worcestershire sauce, so why not use the real thing?

Scotto said:

Same here. I always cut it, and have never noticed any blackening or other ill effects.

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That's because your knives are sharp. When you're crushing the cell walls, rather than slicing through them cleanly, the produce deteriorates quickly. (why the heck am I telling you this, of all people? )

When you're no longer able to make consistently clean 1/16" slices from a ripe tomato, break out the stones.

ouch said:

When you're no longer able to make consistently clean 1/16" slices from a ripe tomato, break out the stones.

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I'm outta luck I guess.
Wifey has my stones in a mason jar sitting on her night stand.
......great recipes youse guys.

rikrdo said:

I'm outta luck I guess.
Wifey has my stones in a mason jar sitting on her night stand.
......great recipes youse guys.

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Don't feel like the Lone Ranger there, pal. Mine are hanging from SWMBO's rearview mirror....:

When she gives me "the look", I tell her (with apologies to Basil Fawlty), "you'll have to sew 'em back on first!"

Great thread. Anchovies are definitely in the mix and I do prefer the Reggiano shaved as well.

Interesting about the tofu...seems logical, it would serve the same purpose. I don't really have an issue with raw egg but some do, so may be a good substitute.