With its distinctive garlic bite and salted lemony goodness the Caesar is one of the best tasting salads ever invented. Despite its Roman sounding name this delicious side dish actually hails from south of the border. I’m not clear on exact details, but legend has it that it was some time during the prohibition when Hollywood starlets had to escape to Mexico to party.
Caesar Cardini’s restaurant ran out of foodstuffs on the menu during a busy dinner rush. He pulled the ingredients together out of the kitchen, and tossed it table side. The rest is history. Whether or not his original salad contained anchovy is still subject to debate.
My version doesn’t but still achieves that classic Caesar flavor with a pantry staple: Worcestershire sauce. Feel free to take this dish from appetizer to main course by adding some grilled chicken.
Caesar Salad
For the croutons:
- 5 slices of sourdough
- Olive oil
- Garlic salt
- Dried oregano
- Dried rosemary
Slice bread into cubes arrange on a baking sheet. Coat with oil, herbs, and garlic salt. Mix with hands and place under broiler til golden. About 10 min. Set aside.
Caesar dressing:
- 1tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic
- Garlic salt to taste
This dressing comes together in seconds in the food processor or blender but is also easily whisked together by hand. Make sure to chop garlic if whisking by hand. Place Dijon, garlic cloves, lemon,vinegar, and Worcestershire, in the processor or bowl. Begin processing or whisking and slowly add in olive oil in very slow even stream. The dressing will thicken as the oil combines with the other ingredients. Add garlic salt to taste.
The Salad:
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Place lettuce in large bowl. Add croutons and dressing and toss salad. Top with Parmesan. Ole!
