How to make the perfect "ORIGINAL CAESAR SALAD"

The Caesar Salad was invented in Mexico by Caesar Cardini, an Italian-American immigrant restaurateur, when he ran out of ingredients in his Tijuana restaurant kitchen during a busy Fourth of July in 1924. He loaded his ingredients onto a serving cart and prepared a "Caesar Salad" FOR HIS GUESTS AT THE TABLE!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 Hearts of Romaine (remove outer leaves of heads of Romaine Lettuce and reserve for other salad recipes)(WASH AND REFRIGERATE LETTUCE IN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER WRAPPED IN PAPER TOWELS)
• 2 coddled eggs
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Colman's Dry or Dijon prepared mustard (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 4 small anchovie filets (optional)
• large wooden salad bowl
• salad tongs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves sliced crushed garlic
• 2 cups croutons
• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesean cheese

1. Rub sliced crushed cloves of garlic around the inside of the wooden salad bowl and place in bottom of salad bowl.
   If using anchovy filets set in bottom of bowl and shred with sharp knife and fork.
   Mix with crushed garlic.
   Add all ingredients to bottom of bowl except lettuce, croutons, cheese, oil and eggs.

2. Coddle the two eggs.
   To do this boil water in a saucepan.
   Immerse eggs in boiling water and turn off heat.
   Wait one minute.(NO MORE OR LESS)
   Remove eggs from water and cool.
   Crack eggs into bottom of wooden mixing bowl.

3. Whisk all ingredients EXCEPT CROUTONS, CHEESE and OIL in bowl together.
   Slowly add olive oil while whisking and turning bowl.
   When dressing is thoroughly mixed add CHILLED lettuce (torn into bite size pieces about 2 "), parmesean cheese and croutons and toss.
   SERVE IMMEDIATELY.SERVES FOUR (4)
   As Julia Childs would say, "Bon appetit."

Tips & Warnings

• FOR TWO JUST HALVE ALL INGREDIENTS
• THE ORIGINAL CAESAR SALAD DRESSING WAS SUBTLE...NO ANCHOVIES OR MUSTARD!
• WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE CONTAINS ANCHOVIES FOR FLAVOR.
• SERVE ANCHOVIES ON THE SIDE IF ONLY SOME LIKE THEM
• USE GOOD ITALIAN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL AND RED WINE VINEGAR!
• ADJUST INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR PERSONNAL TASTE!
• ANCHOVIES AND MUSTARD ARE OPTIONAL (NOT IN CAESAR CARDINI"S ORIGINAL RECIPE!)
• OMIT EGGS, WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE, CHEESE AND ANCHOVY FOR VEGETARIAN CAESAR SALAD
• ADD SLICED COOKED BONELESS AND SKINLESS ROASTED CHICKEN BREASTS FOR A "CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD" MAIN DISH!
• TO IMPRESS YOUR GUESTS...PREPARE AT THE TABLE IN THE BIG WOODEN SALAD BOWL!
• SERVE IMMEDIATELY...OR LETTUCE WILL WILT AND DRESSING WON'T HAVE ZIP!
• DO NOT SUBSTITUTE RAW EGGS INTO THIS RECIPE
• RAW EGGS CAN CONTAIN BACTERIA...CODDLING KILLS BACTERIA WITH HEAT..
• HEAT EGGS A MINIMUM OF 60 SECONDS IN BOILING WATER..MORE THAN 60 SECONDS AND YOU WILL HAVE SOFT BOILED EGGS!

[Heart-C]

on 8/6/2008 the virgin oil and vinegar note is a smashing addition. 5 stars and bows!

[Blackbear]

on 2/29/2008 Yum! I am saving this! Thank you. I love Caesar salads!!!!

[dalady]

on 2/29/2008 MMMM I Love Caesar Salad