Caesar Salad - A Worldwide Favorite
Caesar salad is a staple in American restaurants and many assume it is an
Italian dish created in honor of Julius Caesar. Not true!
Caesar Cardini* owned and operated a small restaurant in Tijuana Mexico in
1924 that was frequented by Hollywood types. It seems that during an era of prohibition,
Caesar was able to attract these high rollers with legal alcohol, delicious food and
gambling.
One busy fourth of July weekend his kitchen was nearly bare when a small
group came in that he was determined to impress. In a fit of brilliance born of
desperation, Cardini created the Caesar salad to satisfy this groups salad craving.
He threw together the traditional Italian staple ingredients that were always
housed in his kitchen now missing poultry, meat and fish. the first Caesar salad was
created tableside as most quality Caesars still are today.
Originally, Caesar created the salad to be eaten as finger food. The
heart leaves of romaine lettuce were drenched in dressing and picked up by hand.
Caesar began cutting the lettuce into what we recognize as a salad.
When creating your own salad, use a wooden bowl if at all possible to best
mix the flavors into one cohesive explosion.
One change you will notice in more recent times is that eggs are often
room temp hard boiled eggs instead of the original coddled eggs.
Some claim that leaving anchovies out is closer to the original recipe,
others think that the anchovies are the basis of the recipe. you are probably
justified either way if you want to defend your own version. either way,
Worcestershire does contain anchovies, so your salad will never be completely without.
For the record, Caesar's daughter claims that only oil, fresh lemons, salt and
pepper, a little Worcestershire were included in the dressing - no extra spices and no
anchovies!
How popular is did the Caesar salad become? The International Society of
Epicures in Paris named it as the "Greatest recipe to originate from the Americas in
fifty years."
Jean Anderson offers up the following delicious and relatively traditional
salad in "The American Century Cookbook."
Caesar Salad
six servings
- 2 1/2 cups half-inch white bread cubes
- 1/3 cup plus l tbsp. fruity olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 1 large head romaine, washed, spun dry, and crisped in the refrigerator
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 soft boiled (one minute) egg or 1/4 cup frozen egg products, thawed
- 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
- 6 anchovy filets or rounds (optional)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss bread cubes with l tablespoon olive oil in large
bowl, then spread on baking sheet. Bake uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally,
until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and reserve.
Rub large wooden salad bowl with garlic; discard garlic. Break romaine lettuce into
bowl in bite-size pieces, or leave whole for finger food. Drizzle lettuce with remaining
1/3 cup oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Break egg into bowl or drizzle egg product evenly over greens. Pour lemon juice over
greens, combined, if desired, with Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Toss until
every leaf glistens, top with croutons and anchovies and serve.
You can purchase the Caesar dressing online from Caesar's daughter here.
*Some claim the salad was actually an invention of
his brother, Alex.
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