One of my go-to meals is Caesar Salad.
(BTW, it's one of my pet irritations to see Caesar spelled wrong on menus. So annoying.)
I've made CS since I was in college and it's always a hit. It's a 10-minute recipe, perfect for the casual-but-impressive spontaneous entertainment meal you want to be known for. So, in the spirit of giving back to my wonderful supportive readers, I'm sharing it here.
(This is actually the classic Caesar recipe - I just explain how to cut corners and make it quick.)
Quick-but-Authentic Caesar Salad
all amounts are approximate - adjust to your taste
- 3-4 anchovies, smashed, or 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 coddled egg (see note below)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon (or more - I like a lot of lemon)
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1tbsp garlic (I use jarred minced)
- salt and pepper
- head of romaine, ripped into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- croutons (optional)
Place first eight ingredients into a jar and shake hard. Pour over lettuce, add cheese and croutons. Serve with more salt/pepper. Done!
You can top with chicken, shrimp or salmon.
Note: to coddle an egg: tuck it into bed with a blankie and a cup of tea. Or alternately, boil it for about a minute. When you crack it open, it should be just starting to emulsify - you'll need to mash up the whites a little. If you don't like to eat raw eggs, you could chop a soft-boiled egg, but it won't be the same. Can't help you here.
Note #2: We keep a mouli grater pre-loaded with parmesan in the fridge in a plastic bag. It's always ready to go for fresh grated parmesan.
Family memory: When Doctor Sister was pregnant and living in Princeton and I was in NYC, she'd beg me to come down on the train on the weekend to make Caesar salad to satisfy her anchovy craving. Funny.
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