Quick Recipe: The Classic Caesar Salad

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A short, cheeky video on making the perfect Caesar Salad

What's better than Caesar salad? Not much, I submit.

It's not only delicious and satisfying, it's incredibly healthy as well. It's one of the few creamy delights that you don't have to worry is going to send you to the other side sooner than you'd like.

But how many people have even had real Caesar?

Not many, I would guess. And if you haven't, you might not even really like Caesar salad. I mean, bottled Caesar dressing is almost universally pretty terrible stuff.

Also, most restaurants don't make real Caesar dressing. It's too hard to do at scale.

Classic Caesar Salad - big wooden bowl optional but preferred!

Now, I've had pretty good Caesar salads at restaurants, but it's almost never the real thing...and even though palatable, it's not nearly as good as the real thing.

So unless you've learned to do it yourself (or you have someone in your family that has), I'm betting you've never tasted what this recipe delivers...which means you've been missing out.

It may be too hard for restaurants to do, but at home, it's super easy. When you look at the ingredient list and the steps laid out below, you might think, "What the hell are you talking about, Blair...that's complex as h#%@!"

Like the FUEL System itself, though, it only looks complex when you write it out. It's much easier to do than it looks on paper.

And it's SO worth learning! Take a stab at it, then do it a couple more times, and you'll get it down.

Then, you'll be able to make this show-stopper any time you want, right out of your head, no recipe required. That's how easy it really is.

It's still impressive, and your kids and spouse will love you all the more when you serve it to them (yes kids love this recipe - for the young ones, just go easy on the dressing, a little goes a long way for them and their sensitive little taste buds).

So - here goes:

The Classic Caesar Salad

You'll want a big wooden bowl to do the classic version of this, but if you don't have one, you can use any salad bowl you want. 

This is as close to the original classic as I know how to make. If you love Caesar, you'll love this salad.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6):

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (easier and mostly indistinguishable from using anchovies); OR

• 6 anchovy fillets (optional, but authentic)

• 2 large egg yolks (preferably pasteurized, but raw egg yolks are pretty safe either way...just use fresh eggs, and don't use an egg that's already cracked)

• Juice of 1 lemon (2-3 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice

• 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, to taste

• Worcestershire sauce, a dash or two

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (optional, for extra tang)

• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for plating

• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

  
  

For Serving:

• Romaine lettuce, chopped to bite-sized pieces (you can do hearts of romaine and just chop the ends off, if you really want it authentic...but it's easier to eat if you chop the lettuce)

• Fresh croutons (see below)

• Additional grated Parmesan

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Wooden Bowl:

   • Rub the inside of a large wooden salad bowl with the cut sides of the garlic cloves to infuse the bowl with garlic flavor. 

   • Then run the cloves through your garlic press (or if you don't have one, chop as fine as you can with a knife and then mash with the side of the blade).

   • You can also run them through your food processor.

2. Add Anchovy Paste, or Mash the Anchovies:

   • Squeeze a roughly two-inch strip of anchovy paste into the bottom of the bowl. Use less than you think you'll need...you can always add more to taste.

   • If using anchovies, mash them into a fine paste against the sides of the bowl with a fork. The best reason to use real anchovies is that you get to eat a few and wash them down with a little red wine while you're working. You get good, healthy fish oil and some wine...win for the body, win for the soul!

3. Add the Egg Yolks:

   • Crack the eggs and separate the whites. Two easy ways to do this:

     • Drain the whites into a separate bowl using the egg shells to catch the yolk. Just go back and forth between the shells, letting the whites fall into the bowl as you catch the yolk.

     • Perhaps even easier: Crack your eggs into a separate bowl, and use a spoon to isolate and pull out the yolk. Save those whites in a glass container with a lid and add them to your next omelet or scramble! Extra protein with almost no calories!  

   • Add the yolks to the salad bowl. Whisk until they start to emulsify and thicken slightly.

4. Incorporate the Lemon Juice and Mustard:

   • Squeeze in the lemon juice. Make sure your hands are washed, then use your closed fingers to catch the seeds and let the juice run through. 

   • Add the mustard.

   • Whisk until well combined.

5. Slowly Add the EVOO:

   • Gradually drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking. This will create a smooth, emulsified base for the dressing.

6. Season the Dressing:

   • Add the Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt, a few cracks of black pepper, and the red wine vinegar (if using). Whisk thoroughly.

7. Add Parmesan Cheese:

   • Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese (keep using the whisk) until the dressing is creamy and rich.

8. Toss the Salad:

   • Add the romaine lettuce to the bowl and toss thoroughly with the dressing, ensuring each leaf is evenly coated.

9. Serve:

   • Plate the salad and top with croutons (if using - I like my Caesar better sans croutons, and they add a bunch of extra calories I don't usually want) and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Optional Additions:

• Grilled/roasted/shredded chicken, shrimp, salmon, or beef tips makes this an awesome stand-alone meal. Especially with a little quinoa, coconut oil, and tamari on the side. Or some wild rice. You can just move the salad to one side and pile the grain next to it to make a one-bowl meal.

• Add a soft-boiled egg or two for more protein. And because it's also awesome.

Tips:

• To make homemade croutons, toss cubed bread with olive oil, garlic powder, and Italian herbs, then bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes. 

• Use really nice bread to get really nice croutons...but you can just use high-quality sandwich bread too. 

• It's easier than it sounds, and way better than store-bought croutons (pretty nasty little things, if you ask me).

Tools You'll Want to Use

Just some basics: Knife, cutting board, garlic press (or food processor), whisk, fork, and a big wooden bowl if you have it (otherwise a big stainless or glass salad bowl works fine).

When to Serve It

Any time. Kids tend to love it, and it's good enough to do once a week or so, as a side or as a main dish. If you do pizza, do this with it, and you won't feel so bad about doing pizza.

Change up your proteins and starchy carbs, and each time you serve it, it's a whole new experience.

C'est bon. Très bon.