CAESAR SALAD 

 Serves 6 

Years ago, maîtres d’hôtel and headwaiters had to know how to make Caesar salad tableside, with command and flourish. Caesar salad was a set piece for every Italian restaurant of a certain age and de rigueur for those of certain repute. Since 1924, when Caesar Cardini invented the recipe in Tijuana, his method of preparation and ingredients have been improvised on and added to, and though some of the ideas have been good, many are difficult to embrace. Folks who just didn’t have the skills or knowledge enough to make a good one have made inferior Caesar salads. Even in recent times, I continue to see my share of not-so-great Caesars, despite their having been made in professional kitchens by cooks with the highest of intentions but not always the ability to execute them well. You more often than not, a Caesar salad will be offered as a lunch entrée with an option for adding grilled chicken breast, salmon, or beef filet, for another few dollars; I recently shared a disappointing and frivolous Lobster Caesar for $40. 

Caesar Salad is one of three salads, along with Green Goddess and wedge salad, that are overdressed. The cook must be sure the dressing gets worked into the lettuce leaves so that nearly each crevice gets dressing in it, then drizzle more on top; it’s shocking, but otherwise, the salad will seem thin and diffident. Cardini conceived the salad with uncut romaine leaves so the diner would pick them up and nibble them whole, dressing cupped inside each leaf. 

Some recipes, like this one, can be difficult to explain because of subtle nuances of taste or details of technique that are learned only by trial and error – often error – but certainly not by reading descriptions of them. 

2 cups day old country 1-inch bread cubes for croutons
1-¼ cups olive oil 
4 hearts of romaine from the very center of four heads, pale green and sweet or inner leaves of Little Gem lettuces prepped the same way 1 medium clove garlic 
1 tsp sea salt 
8-10 anchovy fillets or 1-½ TBSP anchovy paste 
1 egg yolk*  
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces red wine vinegar
Optional: 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Lemon juice from ½ medium lemon 
1 TBSP freshly cracked Tellicherry pepper
1 cup Parmigiano, finely grated

Drizzle bread cubes with two tablespoons olive oil, toss to coat, and toast on a parchment-lined baking tray at 375°F for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp, turning croutons with a spatula every 4 or 5 minutes for even cooking. 

Remove large outer dark green leaves from romaine, leaving only pale yellow-green, tender inside leaves. (Use the outer leaves for another dish such as soup, vegetable ragout, stuffing, etc.). Trim the stem from the head and separate into individual leaves. Spin leaves dry in a salad spinner, wrap in a soft towel, and chill. 

Pound garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt in a mortar, or mash to a paste with a fork and a pinch of salt on a cutting board and transfer to a mixing bowl. Mash anchovy fillets in the same way and add to garlic. Add egg yolk, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice to garlic paste and stir to mix. Whisk in olive oil slowly to form a loose mayonnaise. Add ½ teaspoon cracked pepper and stir in 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano. Pour dressing into a bowl. 

In a large salad bowl toss lettuces and croutons with ¾ cup of dressing. Be sure dressing gets into all nooks and crannies of leaves. Ideally, place lettuce leaves with cup side facing upward and croutons evenly distributed. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano and cracker pepper.

*Cardini coddled his egg – a whole egg in the shell set in simmering water for 45 seconds, which gently sets the white. For ease of preparation and with little difference in effect, I’ve substituted raw egg yolk. You can add a whole egg if you wish to approximate the original recipe in another way. 

©2021 Christopher Lee