The Caesar salad is the definition of a classic: something with an established and recognized value that never seems to diminish. Though hackneyed, lackluster specimens abound in airport terminals and chain restaurants everywhere (often inappropriately laden down with flabby bits of shrimp or chicken), when made properly this salad remains truly great. It was invented in the 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant and restaurateur who lived in San Diego, California, but ran businesses in Tijuana, Mexico, where Prohibition did not staunch the flow of alcohol. According to his daughter Rosa, he came up with the salad on the fly one day when ingredients were low. Apparently the original did not contain any anchovies—that umami flavor came from Worcestershire sauce (which does, in fact, contain anchovies)—and was made with whole leaves of romaine lettuce meant to be lifted by the stem and eaten with the hands. So decadent, so divine. It's all about crunching into that cool, refreshing lettuce and licking that creamy, garlicky dressing off your fingers. I'll never eat it any other way, and neither should you. This dressing is one of the best things you will ever make. I would devour shredded day-old newspaper if it were tossed with this stuff. And it's not really like other Caesar dressings I've made, there's no mustard powder, no Worcestershire sauce, no olive oil and only a little lemon juice. But it does call for anchovies, the salt-cured kind. They're pretty much the gold standard as far as preserved anchovies, meatier and firmer than the oil-packed ones. They come gutted, with their heads removed but the bones intact. Look for them in any good Italian market. The recipe calls for finely grated Parmesan and as you can see in my images it's a pile of cheese made with the inspired invention known as the microplane. If you still don't have one, maybe now's the time. They make zesting and grating so much more fun. And a food processor makes short work of the dressing. Aside from the anchovies and the Parmesan, there is garlic, mustard, champagne vinegar and a whole raw egg, so use a farm-fresh, humanely raised one. Don't leave it out—the thick, creamy texture depends upon it. What you can abandon, of course, is the fork. Dig right in to a salad that's finger-licking good. Caesar Salad Serves 4 (with extra dressing) 7 whole salt-packed anchovies, rinsed, soaked, and filleted 2 smaliish garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar, or other light colored vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 large egg yolk 1 cup sunflower, avocado or grapeseed oil 1 ounce Parmesan, very finely grated 2 heads romaine lettuce, chilled Croutons, use your favorite method A chunk of Parmesan for grating Maldon or another flaky sea salt A few anchovy fillets for garnish, optional Procedure 1. Put the anchovy fillets and garlic in a small food processor and pulse to a rough paste. Add the mustard, vinegar and lemon juice, egg yolk, and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. With the processor on, gradually drizzle in the oil in a steady stream. 2. Finally, add the Parmesan and blend until it's all well combined. Scrape the dressing into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, then pop it into the fridge to chill and thicken up. (It'll keep for up to 3 days). 3. Trim the root ends of the Romaine heads and discard the large, floppy outer leaves. Separate the remaining leaves and put them in a very large mixing bowl. Refrigerate the leaves until they are nice and cold. 4. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the dressing over the leaves. Gradually add more as needed, just until it's all nicely coated. 5. Add the croutons and toss a few times so they get a touch of the dressing. Then add a little more dressing if you need to. 6. Layer the leaves of the salad, so they face this way and that and so they're not all in a clump, on a platter and scatter the croutons here and there. Garnish with the anchovies. Grate some Parmesan on top, taste, and add a little salt, if you'd like. Eat it immediately while still cold—preferably with your hands.

Posted by Chef Cheryl at 2025-04-23 14:00:03 UTC