Caesar Salad

Description:

 Many people may be surprised to hear that the caesar salad was not invented in Italy or the United States - this dish was in fact invented in Tijuana, Mexico, in 1924 by Italian chef Cesare Cardini. Since then, this dish has gained international popularity and is frequently featured on the menu of most American restaurants.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

·      1/2 head of romaine lettuce leaves, roughly chopped 

·      1/2 loaf crusty bread, cut into small cubes

·      1 whole egg 

·      2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)

·      1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (6 ml)

·      3 whole anchovies in oil

·      1 clove garlic, chopped

·      1 tsp Dijon mustard (6 ml)

·      4 tbsp grated Parmesan (60 g)

·      1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml)

·      Salt and pepper

Preparation:

To make the croutons, preheat oven to 375. Toss the pieces of bread with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden and crispy. Set aside to cool.

To make dressing, boil the egg in a pot of water for 3 minutes, then immediately submerge in cool water. This is to temper the egg. Separate the egg yolk and add it to a blender with the garlic, mustard, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Blend for a few seconds. Little by little, blend in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil until dressing thickens slightly. Transfer to a bowl and mix in 3 tbsp of the Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

To make salad, toss together the lettuce and croutons in a bowl with the dressing and fresh dill. Spoon out salad into smaller plates or serve in a large bowl. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese and some additional black pepper. 

 Notes:

• You can omit the anchovies if you prefer.

• For a simplified recipe, you can omit the egg yolk and half of the olive oil and replace with 1/4 cup (30 g) of mayonnaise.