There are few salads more classic and widely beloved than a Caesar salad.
“And there were many Italian immigrants to Mexico, and they opened up restaurants.”
The rest, as the saying goes, is now history.
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One brand,Fresh Express, offers as many as 11 different Caesar salad varieties.
That’s because the base of any Ceasar salad is refreshingly simple.
“But they are really easy to make!”
Photo: Su-Jit Lin, Eat This, Not That!
If you happen to have a day-old baguette in your kitchen, try your hand at making traditional croutons.
O’Rourke goes the crumbles route, which has become popular in chopped salad kits.
At Ray’s on the River, the Caesar salad is topped with his Bagna Cauda Breadcrumbs.
Photo: Su-Jit Lin, Eat This, Not That!
To make these:
1.
Blend 1 12 ounces of minced anchovies and 2 ounces fresh garlic into a paste.2.
Saute this paste in 2 ounces of unsalted butter.3.
Photo: Su-Jit Lin, Eat This, Not That!
Plus, this recipe yields enough for plenty of future Caesar salads, and is better chilled, anyway.
Just give it a good whisking before using if any separation has occurred.
Additionally, making it yourself gives you freedom to personalize the amount based on personal preference.
Photo: Su-Jit Lin, Eat This, Not That!
For instance, O’Rourke often adds more anchovy and blends the dressing for a smoother texture.
Measure out your olive oil.2.
Finely mince the anchovies and garlic and add to a large mixing bowl.3.
Photo: Su-Jit Lin, Eat This, Not That!
Combine the remaining ingredients up to the salt, omitting only the oil, cheese, and lettuce.4.
Slowly add the oil and whisk it in to emulsify the ingredients.5.
Once emulsified, add the cheese.
For a creamier consistency, O’Rourke uses a blender instead of a whisk at Ray’s on the River.
Puree the dressing ingredients and slowly add the oil then the cheese directly to the mixture as you blend.
“Use a very sharp knife so you don’t bruise your lettuce,” O’Rourke advises.
Specifically for romaine, he uses the following technique.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
1.
Quarter the romaine heart lengthwise, leaving the core intact.2.
Cut the quarters into bite sizes, around 1 to 112 inch pieces.
Wash in cold water and spin to dry.
This will help the lettuce crisp up.4.
Once dry, place the lettuce in the serving dish, preferably a very large salad bowl.
Measure out roughly a cup of salad dressing from your prepared batch.
Pour over the lettuce.2.
Using salad tongs, toss the lettuce thoroughly until all bites are coated.3.
Finish with freshly grated cheese to taste and, if desired, fresh cracked pepper.
