Restaurant Style Caesar Salad
Recipe by: Karen Rosenbloom
Arguably, the most delicious salad in the world is a caesar salad.
Salty anchovies, a hint of garlic, fresh lemon, and mounds parmesan cheese.
I have tested many recipes and came up with this caesar dressing that works every time.
It is the most requested dish my sister begs me to make for dinner. It is so simple but so delectable.
Here’s how I make it:
Makes about 1 cup of dressing, enough for 4 servings.
Ingredients:
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets rolled with capers
1 large garlic clove, or two small cloves (de-germed)
1 pinch kosher salt
1 large pasteurized egg yolk
The juice of two small lemons (fresh)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive 0il)
1/2 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano (plus more for garnishing the salad)
2-3 heads romaine (washed + cut)
One large bowl and a large whisk.
Instructions:
To begin, De Germ Your Garlic. De-germing is essential to eliminate that bitter flavor in raw garlic.
To de-germ the garlic, peel the clove and slice it in half lengthwise, then remove the small green shoot from the center. (This is optional but in my opinion, it improves the dressing.)
Mince the garlic, sprinkle with kosher salt, and use the side of your knife to crush the garlic into a fine paste.
Remove your 4 anchovies rolled with capers from the oil. Finely mince the fillets.
Most recipes call for plain anchovies, I use the ones rolled with capers because I love the salty bite they add to the dressing.
Begin to mince the filets with the garlic until it forms a homogenous mixture.
Add the anchovy and garlic paste to a large bowl with the egg yolk.
It is important to use a pasteurized egg yolk while doing this. For safety reasons, The USDA recommends using pasteurized eggs when consuming raw eggs.
Add the dijon mustard, and juice of two lemons and whisk well.
Literally, drop by drop slowly add in your EVOO.
Yes it will take a long time, and yes your arm will start to hurt… but it is worth it…I promise.
Continue to add your EVOO in a slow stream. It is important to go slow with your oil but whisk vigorously to create an emulsion.
Once you’ve added your EVOO, add your vegetable oil in a slow, steady stream.
Prepare yourself, this mixing process will take about 5-8 minutes of consistent whisking.
The once-yellow mixture should become a pale yellow/white color.
As the dressing emulsifies, it will become thick, similar to a mayonnaise consistency.
It is important to vigorously whisk in order to emulsify the dressing.
If you wish to thin your dressing, feel free to add more EVOO.
Once your dressing has come together, season to taste with fresh cracked black pepper and salt.
Add in Your Parmesan cheese and washed lettuce.
I prefer to chop my lettuce thinly by using about 1/4 inch cuts.
When you add the washed lettuce to the dressing, make sure it is dry so the water does not dilute the dressing.
With a sore arm, toss the romaine in your homemade dressing.
Add more cheese on top, it does not hurt.
Serve right after tossing and enjoy a restaurant-style caesar salad from the comfort of your own kitchen.