Tag Archives: caesar salad

Caesar Salad

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Caesar salad 3

Love the textures of a great Caesar salad – contrasting fresh crisp greens, crunchy bacon and croutons, soft parmesan and a creamy dressing.

Everybody needs a great Caesar dressing in their kitchen, try this one and adjust to your families taste.  My grandkids don’t love garlic, so when they are over I usually go light on the garlic cloves but that’s totally up to you!

  • 1 egg (or 1/4 cup mayonnaise)
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1-3 cloves garlic
  • 2 anchovy fillets (packed in oil)
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • pinch of sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup oil (I like to use a combo of vegetable oil and really good extra virgin olive oil)
  • dash hot sauce (totally optional)

Combine all ingredients except oil in jar or blender.  Shake/blend really well until smooth, and slowly add oil until emulsified.  Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, adding more if necessary.

Caesar salad 1

Everybody helps make dinner around here, and Stella is learning the fine points of knife work!  Don’t worry, she quickly learned to rest the knife against her knuckles to avoid trimming her fingers……

Caesar salad 2

Assembling that cheese grater has all Sloan’s attention.

  • Wash your lettuce leaves and spin dry (you can do this ahead of time, wrap in clean kitchen towel and keep in fridge until ready to use, it really crisps up the lettuce)
  • Cook bacon until crisp and crumble.
  • Toss stale bread chunks in olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper and toast until dry and crunchy.  (This is also a great place to use dried herbs, and some garlic powder)
  • Grate Parmesan cheese

Toss lettuce pieces in very large bowl with the bacon, croutons and parmesan cheese.  Just before serving toss with dressing just until everything has a delicious coating.  Taste and squeeze a bit of lemon over if you like.

This easily goes from a side dish to a whole meal if you serve Caesar salad with grilled chicken or shrimp, and a side of garlic toast.

 

 

Classic Caesar Salad

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As listed, this salad is a creamy, delicious dressing that will please everybody – don’t even think of leaving out the anchovy paste, it just adds too much flavour to the salad.  (just don’t tell anyone it is in there!)  If you love garlic, go ahead and add an extra clove or two, and if you love spicy salad add more hot pepper sauce.

DRESSING

1/4 cup good mayonnaise

juice of 1 lemon

1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp anchovy paste or 2 anchovies

pinch of sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

1/2 – 3/4 cup oil (I prefer a combo of vegetable and olive oils)

Put everything except the oil in a blender and combine well.  (Or use an immersion blender)  Add oil in a steady stream, slowly.  Taste for salt and pepper, adjusting as necessary

SALAD

1 large head of romaine lettuce, cleaned and broken into bite size pieces

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup croutons

8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and broken up

Making your own croutons is very easy, and taste so much fresher than any package ones.  Cube day old bread, and toss it in a bag or bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic.  Toast on a cookie sheet, tossing occasionally, at 350 degrees until golden brown and crispy.

ASSEMBLY

Toss dressing with pieces of romaine until coated well.  Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well.  Give salad a squeeze of lemon, and drizzle a bit more dressing over top – serve!