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Caesar Salads

16 years ago

We rarely make salads at home - no good reason why - but recently, I've become obsessed with Caesar Salads when we happen to eat out. DH and I like 'em all, from "authentic" to variations. A few have been just okay, making me think that we've *got* to get our act together and make 'em ourselves.

Just curious if anyone has tips to making a great Caesar, from a homemade dressing to a special addition?

Thanks and Happy New Year :)

Sue

Comments (7)

lindac
16 years ago
Wooden bowl, rubbed with garlic, coddled egg, smashed anchovie,worchestershire, juice of a lemon and olive oil! Add Romaine and toss.
However I have also made "bottled Ceasar"...I use egg beaters...1/4 cup, a crushed clove of garlic and a T. of anchovie paste from a tube. add the juice of a fresh lemon 1/2 cup of olive oil....1/4 cup grated Parm and 2 tsps worchestershire. Shake well and serve on Romaine....and the leftovers keep for a week in the refrigerator!
Linda C
gardenguru1950
16 years ago
1. Use only baby hearts of Romaine. Cut off and discard the green, leathery tips and the overly-crunchy tails.

2. Chill the chopped lettuce well before tossing with the rest.

3. I've had a gazillion Caesar salad dressings made at some of the finest restaurants and in good homes and they're all different and mostly "okay". I actually prefer the bottled dressings especially Cardini's, but Newman's Own and Annie's Naturals are pretty good, as well. If the salad is going to be served as a side to something heavy, I squeeze a little fresh lemon juice into the dressing.

4. I don't like grilled fish or meat in a slab on top of the salad. Looks good but it's actually difficult to cut and eat. I liked grilled salmon, halibut, shrimp, scallops or chicken but I chop it into bite-size pieces and toss it with the salad.

5. Adding cheese to the salad before tossing is a must and then a blop of grated cheese on top of the presented salad is extra good. Traditionally Parmigianno reggiano is used and I like it. But I blend it with some good aged Asiago (nuttier without being saltier).

6. Homemade croutons only. I've yet to bump into a good brand of packaged croutons. Toss some bread cubes in a bit of olive oil, garlic powder and dried herbs and toast them on high in the oven. Too easy.

7. Not traditional but I do love tomatoes, olives, crabmeat (as a topping, mostly), crispy bacon pieces, and if I toss in a mix of chopped/sliced Italian coldcuts and cheeses, I call it my antipasti salad.

Joe
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I just wanted to get back and thank everyone for helping me with this. I made too much salad LOL. There were only about 45 people at the party, and there was another "salad bar" kind of salad...if I had it to do again, I'd cut everything in half and it would have been perfect for 45 with the second salad. That said, if there had only been one salad and 70 people I do believe this ratio would have worked fine, since lots of people were gobbling it up. I spent about 45 dollars, and here's what I used: 5 18 oz. pkgs. romaine hearts (Trader Joe's) 1 large head of red romaine (regular grocery store) 4 15 oz. jars of Marzetti's refrigerated creamy caesar dressing,2 regular, and 2 lite 2 cartons of grated parm cheese (Trader Joe's), approx. a lb. total juice of 3 fresh lemons 5 5 oz. bags of caesar croutons I chopped the lettuces, washed them and spun them in a newly acquired heavy duty salad spinner which my mother will now enjoy :0) I put the chopped lettuce in huge giant ziplock bags the night before for transport to the church kitchen. I squeezed the lemons and strained the juice and put in a jar with a lid. I took everything on Sunday to the church kitchen. They had a huge, enormous salad "bucket" and all of the ingredients filled it well. I used plastic gloves and tossed everything by hand, rinsing out each of the salad dressing jars with some of the lemon juice to get every last drop. I'd estimate that the salad sat about 1/2 hour before anyone started to fill up their plates from the buffet. So many people came up to say how much they really loved the salad and wanted to know how I made it. I sent some of the fans home with smaller, large ziplock bags full of the stuff. The party was great. My mom had a wonderful day. She also really got a charge out of all of the responses I got from people here about the salad. I read them to her each day. Many thanks. seagrass
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That's an interesting spelling for Tijuana - it would mean "Aunt Jane" or something like that. Most non-Hispanic Americans would mispronounce it that way, however, possibly because the aspirated Spanish "J" is difficult. I've been corrected several times in Mexico, but I finally got the "J" sound down. If you go to Mexico, you've been forewarned! I found Marilyn's recipe here a few years ago (You may know her as Danain, I think) and made my own slight variations to it - basically I just increased the olive oil, mustard, and Parmesan: Caesar Salad Dressing 2 tablespoon anchovy paste (or 4 anchovies minced) 1 coddled egg* 1 large clove garlic, or two medium ones 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 dashes Tabasco sauce 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper 3/4 cup olive oil 1/4 to 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese In a blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients except the olive oil and Parmesan cheese until well combined. While still blending, slowly drizzle the olive oil in until well combine and thickened. Pour into a container and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve over romaine lettuce with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and croÃ»tons. To make croÃ»tons, cut sourdough or Italian bread into half inch thick slices and spread one side with garlic butter. Lightly toast the bread in a toaster oven. When the toast is somewhat cool, spread the other side with garlic butter (or plain butter or EVOO), and cut into cubes. You can finish toasting the croÃ»tons on a baking sheet in the oven or in a skillet at low heat, tossing every few minutes. I put a lid on the skillet when I toss the croÃ»tons. Like Ann, I believe it is very crucial to make your own croÃ»tons. The whole recipe is extremely quick and easy, despite the number of ingredients. After all, the blender does all the work. I've tried simpler recipes, and this one has become my favorite by far, and I make it fairly often. Generally I do not bother to coddle the egg, but you can if you are afraid of raw eggs. I think the lime juice takes care of it, however. I also switched to EVOO, simply because I have so much of it, but it does give the dressing an even more peppery flavor. I tend to like that, now that I'm used to it. Lars
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Lars
16 years ago
Here's the recipe I use for Caesar salad dressing. It's based on a recipe I got from Marilyn, although I can't remember what changes I made, except that they were minor. I like it better with lime juice than lemon, and right now I have more limes than lemons anyway. My lemon tree seemed to be stressed at the moment.

I don't always coddle the egg before using it, but I am very careful about the eggs I buy.

Lars
blizlady
16 years ago
I wish I could offer a recipe, but oneof the best ceasar salads I had was at a restaurant in the Lake Tahoe area. They left the romaine leaves in whole pieces and put about 4 on a salad plate. It was drizzled with a wonderful dressing and topped with shaved parmesan cheese. The salad was eaten by picking up each lettuce leaf with your fingers. I loved the presentation!
ann_t
16 years ago
Sue, I've been making my Ceasar Salad this way for over 28 years. Had it the first time at Pat Davis's cooking school. Haven't found one that I like better.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Caesar Salad
============
adapted from Pat Davis Cooking School

1 large head of Romaine Lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces

1 large clove of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. or more to taste Dijon Mustard
salt
pepper
Splash of Worchestershire sauce
anchovy fillets
1/4 cup Roquefort cheese
(substitute Maytag or another high quality blue cheese)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 coddled egg
red wine vinegar
fresh squeezed lemon juice
Homemade Croutons

Croutons

2 or 3 slices of French or Italian bread 3/4 inch thick, crusts removed

1 garlic clove

olive oil

.
Add garlic to salad bowl (wooden works best)

sprinkle with salt and use a fork to crush garlic. Turn into a paste.

Add coddled egg and mix. Add dijon mustard and mix well. Add anchovy
fillets and crush with fork.

Drizzle in oil a bit at a time, until the oil is absorbed by the egg
mixture. Add red wine vinegar and worchestershir sauce. Season with
pepper. Add salt to taste. Add some lemon juice and mix.

Toss Romaine lettuce with dressing and add crumbled Roquefort Cheese.
Sprinkle with Parmesan and add croutons.

Croutons

Rub each slice of bread with crushed garlic clove. Cut into cubes

Heat oil and toss the cubes. Make sure they are well coated. Turn
often until nicely toasted. Place in a low oven to finish toasting and
crisping.

Remove from oven.

(Optional: Toss warm croutons with freshly grated parmesan cheese.)
diana55
16 years ago
I'm with Linda. I make mine in a "Wooden Salad bowl" The best I think too. Diana55
goldgirl
Original Author
16 years ago
Note to self: Now have excuse to buy wooden salad bowl.

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