Caesar Salad
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 mashed anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and mashed to a paste or ½ teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- ½ cup to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Croutons (optional)
Instructions
-
With your fingers, tear the lettuce leaves into 1-inch pieces and add to a large serving bowl.
- If you are using 2 anchovy fillets, rinse and pat dry and then mash into a paste. Note that you can substitute ½ teaspoon anchovy paste for the 2 anchovy fillets.
- In a bowl, whisk garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mashed anchovies (optional), and mayonnaise together.
- Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes so that the lemon juice brings out the full flavor of the garlic.
- Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl; whisking as you pour. This method will allow the ingredients to mesh together and make a smooth, well-incorporated salad dressing.
- Pour dressing over lettuce and mix.
- Sprinkle parmesan cheese over salad and toss.
- Add croutons (optional) and serve immediately.
Comments
Once you have poured the dressing onto the salad you must eat immediately because the dressing will cause the lettuce to wilt.If your not sure about the flavor of anchovies, add a little bit at a time to suit your tastes.
Traditional Caesar dressing calls for raw eggs that are incorporated into the mix. Because of food safety issues I find it is easier to add mayonnaise to my dressing. It has a very pleasing egg flavor and adds a nice creaminess to the dressing.