Ceasar Salad

In this video, Betty demonstrates how to make a refreshing Home-Style Caesar Salad. It uses the Parmesan cheese crisps and buttery croutons from the previous two videos in bettyskitchen, along with Romaine lettuce and a nice, tangy Caesar dressing.

Ingredients:

1/2 head of Romaine lettuce, washed, dried with paper towel, and torn into pieces
2 cups croutons (You may use my Buttery Croutons, or some other type.)
1 dozen cheese crisps (You may use my Parmesan Cheese Crisps, or substitute butter-flavored crackers.)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon milk
anchovies, to taste (optional)
additional Parmesan cheese for topping

In a deep bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, and anchovies to taste (if desired). Use a whisk or an electric blender to combine until well-blended. Chill dressing for a couple of hours to let flavors meld. In a large salad bowl, place 1/2 head prepared Romaine lettuce, along with desired amount of Caesar dressing and desired amount of croutons. Toss salad, and adjust the lettuce, the dressing, and the croutons, if needed. Place a generous portion of salad on a nice salad plate. Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and add a few croutons to the top. Place 2 Parmesan cheese crisps, one on each side of the salad, and serve immediately, while the croutons are still crisp! This is a delightful salad that I think everyone will love! Enjoy!!! –Betty

The famous Caesar salad and dressing is believed by most historians to have been born in a kitchen with depleted supplies-Caesar Cardini’s restaurant kitchen to be exact. A restaurateur in Tijuana, Mexico, Cardini was running short on ingredients one particular Fourth of July weekend in 1924. It was then that he gathered what was left of the basic ingredients, tossed them together in front of patrons at the tableside, and fathered the legendary Caesar salad. It gained popularity reaching even the Hollywood crowd, and from then on the Caesar salad and dressing has never left the world cuisine.

There has been multiple variations of the recipe for the Caesar dressing, but the main ingredients remain the same, more or less: olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and black pepper. If you’ve been to the salad dressings lane of grocery stores, you’ll surely notice a lot of brands of bottled Caesar dressing, ready to be purchased and poured over your romaine lettuce and croutons. But why not avoid the MSG and other additives by being a home chef and making your own homemade Caesar dressing?

To put together your own homemade Caesar dressing, get a hold of the key ingredients: eggs, olive oil, black pepper, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, along with today’s commonly added flavor enhancers for the Caesar dressing, such as anchovy fillets or paste, garlic, Dijon mustard and salt. Some even mix in red wine vinegar. If you use anchovy fillets and garlic, mash them with salt in a bowl, then beat the mixture with egg yolks, pepper and mustard until creamy. Stir in lemon juice. To make sure your dressing is emulsified well, add the olive oil into the bowl very slowly, drop by drop, whisking constantly. As the mixture begins to thicken, you can gradually pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue to beat the dressing until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.

Plain yogurt also makes an excellent base for homemade Caesar dressing. Simply add plain yogurt and red wine vinegar to the recipe above for a tasty, creamy and healthy version of this classic dressing. Caesar dressing is typically used on salads topped with croutons, parmesan cheese, shrimp and chicken but it can also be applied as a glaze to chicken or fish when grilling. The pepper and anchovies create a sensational flavor for your white meats that is sure to please even the pickiest of pallets. This is an excellent idea for any leftover dressing that you have.

The Caesar salad and dressing has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Learning to make your own homemade Caesar dressing can be an invaluable kitchen skill, because today its popularity wouldn’t make anyone think it was once just a combination of left-over ingredients in a busy restaurant kitchen one Fourth of July weekend.

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In food history one of the most controversial topics is the emperor of all salads, The Caesar. If you have never tossed a classic Caesar salad for your friends then you ought to try it. There is a real technique that makes it so special. While you are rolling instead of tossing the whole Romaine leaves in the wooden bowl to develop the perfect creamy dressing, you may want to mention 2 of the many stories that talk about the first Caesar salad that was ever tossed.

Caesar salad wasn’t named after Julius Caesar as some sources say, the evidence to show that is thinner than the garlic slices mob boss Pauly shaved with a razor blade in the movie Goodfellas. The first Caesar was most likely tossed by either Caesar or his brother Alex Cardini.

The brothers both came from Italy after the world war 1 and settled in San Diego, Ca. Caesar ran his own restaurant bearing his name in Tijuana and Alex was chef of a competing restaurant near by. When it burned down he became partners with his brother Caesar and here is where this salad became famous. The Hollywood crowd as well as a famous Duchess frequented Caesar’s establishment. Even when Julia Child was a youth her folks took her there and Caesar himself made this salad to whom was one day going to become the queen of the foodies world.

Caesar’s daughter Rosa in an interview in 1987 said, her father invented the dish in his restaurant in Tijuana on Fourth of July in 1924. A rush had depleted the kitchen’s supplies, so with still customers to be fed, Caesar made do with what he had, adding the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing “by the chef”.

Carla Cardini, who is the granddaughter of Alex Cardini, works in fine dining around Houston, gives occasional classes on making this classic salad. She will tell you the original name was Aviator’s Salad. Alex Cardini, my grandfather, was a pilot for the Italian Air Force during World War I before he moved to Tijuana to join my great-uncle Caesar. Remember, it was Prohibition, and Tijuana was where people went to party. Caesar’s Place, my great-uncle’s bar and restaurant, was very popular.

After a long night of drinking and missing curfew, a group of Rockwell Field Air Force pilots woke up at Caesar’s, and what Alex made for them for breakfast that morning is what we know today as Caesar Salad. That day he called it the Aviator’s Salad in honor of his flying buddies, but as the salad gained popularity with visitors from Southern California they said “Let’s go to Caesar’s and have that salad” and then just Caesar’s salad.

Perhaps the crown should go to the Cardini family for this I am sure their mother is proud of both of them.

For more stories on the origin of Caesar salad, How to make the Classic Caesar Salad and some variations including a healthy version go to http://www.kitchenproject.com/history/CaesarSalad Stephen Block is a Food Historian, and chef of 35 years. I develop culinary projects for my main website http://www.kitchenproject.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Block

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 anchovies, rinsed, and coarsely chopped

2 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, divided

1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

8 cups chopped hearts of romaine

1 pound of peeled, and grilled cooked shrimp ( 16-20′s if available)

1 cup of fresh, or boxed croutons if you prefer not to make your own.

Instructions:

Heat your oven, and your grill first if you are planning on grilling, and making your own croutons for this recipe. It is not mandatory, as you can substitue precooked shrimp, and already prepared boxed croutons. This is a great meal to serve if you are having family and friends over that are into just hanging out, and having a glass of wine while you prepare dinner. If you would rather not grill your shrimp, then sauté, or boiling is an option. If you do not want to make your croutons, and use pre-made boxed ones, this salad can be made in about 15-20 minutes or less from start to finish.

Place lemon juice, mustard, anchovies, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. With the motor running, gradually add oil, process until creamy. Add 1/4 cup Asiago cheese and pepper, pulse until combined.

Combine romaine, shrimp and croutons in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates, or a nice serving dish if you want it to be a more rustic style lunch or dinner service, and then garnish the top of the salad with the remaining 1/4 cup Asiago cheese, 1/3 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, and a few croutons.

Instructions for making Croutons: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix your favorite fresh or dried herbs and spices with 1/4 cup olive or canola oil. Lightly brush flavored oil on both sides of bread slices. Stack as many slices as you can cut at one time. Cut into cubes the size of your choice. Spread cubes in single layer on large baking sheet.

Bake until cubes are dry and crisp. Time will depend on the size and thickness of cubes, about 20-30 minutes, you can cook longer if you want them to be well done. Remove from the oven and land let cool completely. And serve with your favorite salad.

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Caesar salad has always won the appreciation of the food lovers since its inception under the expert hands of the Italian chef Caesar Cardini at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico in the year 1924. The crunchy and refreshing greens mixed with a unique blend of ingredients never seem to fail to amaze us. The waiters take great pride in coming up with remarkable Caesar salad recipes right at the table to the amazement of the patrons of the Caesar salad.

The Caesar salad recipes require one to start with its preparation just before serving to savor the true delights of it. The basic ingredients in every Caesar salad is the same; with multiple ingredients added over and above it to make it alluring. You require 1 head of romaine lettuce, 3 slices of crisp baguette, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 � tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 bunch of arugula, 1 clove garlic, cut in half, 1 two ounce can of anchovies cut into pieces, an egg, freshly ground pepper and two tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan. The anchovies were never the part of the original Caesar salad recipe of Caesar Cardini. Also, the Caesar salad recipes vary in the usage of eggs. While the coddled egg is required for the Caesar salads, many make use of the raw egg. However, the coddled egg is necessary to give it a creamy texture. Placing the egg in a small pot of boiling water for about 45 seconds can make the coddled egg.

You can prepare the salad by separating the romaine leaves and the arugula leaves from the core. Tear the romaine leaves into smaller pieces while you cut the arugula leaves into half. On getting it ready, clean the greens in cold water. Dipping in cold water can turn the leaves crispy and fresh. Then, place it in the salad spinner to dry.

While the leaves are left for drying, cut the bread into cubes and fry it for about two minutes until they become golden brown. The salad recipes give one the option to rub the toasted bread with the garlic. Else, fry the garlic in the oil and once the oil starts to leave the aroma of the garlic keep it aside and fry the bread cubes in this oil for a richer flavor.

Take a large salad bowl and rub its sides with the burnt garlic before mashing it into paste. Once done, add to it olive oil, egg and the lemon juice before whisking it. Then, mix the romaine leaves and the arugula leaves along with anchovies, toasted baguette, ground pepper and the Parmesan. Toss it for a mouthwatering salad.

As a variation, you can prepare the chicken salad. This salad recipe requires you to use baked chicken breast, romaine lettuce, croutons and the Parmesan cheese. Half cup of olive oil, 1 egg, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1/2 can of anchovies, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder are whisked before adding the anchovies and greens. These ingredients are to be added with the baked chicken cubes to prepare the chicken Caesar salad.

The Caesar salad recipes permit different variations by including tomatoes, bell pepper and sweet onion over and above the basic ingredients that make it stand above the rest.

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I have been making this recipe since I was a teenager. It was past to me by my grandfather who still makes it today at the age of 90. Over the past 30 years I have made this Caesar salad for hundreds of people both in restaurants and at home. I am confident you will not find a better recipe by any celebrity chef! I have tried many Caesar recipes but I always come back to this rustic no nonsense version.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup good quality olive oil

6 cloves purple garlic

8 salted anchovies rinsed.

2 egg yolks

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 – 4 shakes Tabasco

3 – 4 shakes Worcestershire sauce

3 handfuls finely grated Parmesan cheese (No imitation will do)

Juice of one lemon

1 Tablespoon best quality Balsamic vinegar to taste

Fresh cracked black pepper

1 – 2 heads chilled Romaine Lettuce

Crusty Bread cut into ¼ inch thick slices and then into 2 inch pieces.

3 Tablespoons olive oil

One glove garlic cut in half

In a large bowl, preferably wooden, pour in the olive oil and add the garlic and anchovies. With a fork, begin to smash the garlic and anchovies into the oil. This will take some time. Don’t be tempted to use a food processor. You want the garlic and anchovies to be smashed into the oil but not creamy. Once you have done this, add the rest of the ingredients. You may add a little more oil or lemon juice to taste. When the ingredients are properly mixed together, leave the dressing for about a half our or longer while you make the croutons.

Rub each of the bread pieces with the cut garlic clove. Heat a pan over medium heat and then add the olive oil. Place the bread into the pan and fry until it is golden brown on both sides. In the last one minute or so of cooking, add the Parmesan and allow it to crisp into the bread slices. Take the croutons off the heat and allow to cool.

When you are ready to serve, rip the lettuce into thirds and add a little at a time to the dressing. I usually mix the dressing into the lettuce by hand thoroughly coating each piece. You do not want to add too much lettuce. Taste the salad after you have added one of the heads of lettuce to ensure it is properly coated with the dressing and then continue adding lettuce ensuring that the dressing remains very strong. I usually add a little more Parmesan at the end and then the croutons.

Serve immediately.

If you are a cookery fanatic like me, please let me know how you get on with this recipe! I would be happy to offer any advice so please do not hesitate to contact me.

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A Perfect Way to Dress Your Salad

You have these wonderful greens in your fridge, have little time and just want to serve a fast meal that tastes really good and at the same time makes a healthy meal.

From experience you know that the meal does not always come out the way you want it and wonder why – your greens are too good to be spoiled and you dream about a formula to help you out right now.

This is where I, as a former Restaurant owner, chef and now among other things a cook book writer, can help you.

I am going to give you some basic rules relating to making a dressing that not only fits the salad but also enhances the different tastes.

First be clear on which kind of salad you are making:

If you add heavy ingredients like meat, cooked eggs, cut potatoes and other vegetables or fruits your salad leaves need to be strong. The greens need to be fresh and the color as dark green as possible.

Your dressing is the initiator of marrying the different flavors of whatever you have put into your salad. The more vegetables and fruits you ad to your salad the more flavorful your dressing needs to be.

Most people often have hearts of Romaine in their fridge as it keeps very well. This is what is used for a Caesar Salad so here is a recipe for the most necessary part of this dish:

Caesar Dressing: (4 servings)

• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar, can be red or white
• 1 splash of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of freshly pressed lemon juice
• 1 slice of fresh Parmesan Cheese

Peel and mince or chop finely the garlic.

Cook the two eggs in boiling water without breaking them for one minute and when cooled enough to touch break them into a smaller bowl or the salad bowl and stir them well until light in color.

Add the mustard and the extra virgin olive oil little by little.

Then add the garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce and the wine vinegar. I personally prefer a good red wine vinegar.

Mix everything well and you can add fresh ground pepper to taste.

I never add salt at this point as the Parmesan cheese in itself is salty and if you prefer to top your salad with Anchovy this is salty too.

The Parmesan cheese tastes and looks great if you can shave it, however it is also ok to use grated Parmesan Cheese.

Add your salad to the bowl and when you are ready to eat toss everything in the bowl with the dressing and top the salad with the Parmesan Cheese.

Make sure there is enough salad for the dressing in your bowl. Otherwise keep some of the dressing for another salad.

The consistency of the dressing has to be thin enough to blend easily with the salad chosen but not so thin that it immediately goes to the bottom of the salad bowl.

So remember this:

• Make sure your chosen dressing marries the flavors of whatever you have put into your salad bowl
• Choose a thinner dressing for lighter greens
• Always use fresh ingredients
• The more ingredients you have added to your salad, the more flavorful your dressing needs to be
• Do not add salt when you have salty ingredients in the dressing and/or the salad. You can spoil a great dish in no time with just a little too much salt.

Finally: enjoy your meal!

Best wishes,

Pia Balling

PS: Remember when making your dressing: Mixing different ingredients well is a question of balance, balance in taste and texture.

PIA BALLING is driven to make life a wonderful and exciting experience for as many people as possible by supporting health, body and mind through recipes, specialty foods, nutrition tips, personal growth programs and more. For more, please visit her websites at http://www.piaseuropean.com or http://www.youramazingpower.com.

This simple chicken caesar salad recipe is a very popular dish. The caesar salad dressing recipe shown here can be changed slightly if needed.
The anchovies are an optional ingredient.

If using them for the first time add a little bit at a time and taste the dressing as you do it. They are very salty and strong in flavour.

This recipe makes about 2/3 of a cup of caesar dressing. That should be enough for 3 servings of salad.
Ingredients:

1 cooked chicken breast per serving
Romain lettuce
Croutons
Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive or other salad oil
1 clove garlic(crushed)
1 egg
1/2 can anchovies or anchovie paste to taste(optional)
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vinegar(regular or flavored)
1/2 tsp mustard powder

Bake chicken breast(s) in oven until cooked. Add a little spice before cooking if desired.

Break off enough leaves of romain lettuce for however many servings you are making. Wash lettuce in a bowl of cold water and dry using a clean dishtowel or a salad spinner. When leaves are dry tear them into smaller pieces and add to salad bowl.

Add a desired amount of croutons and parmesan cheese.

Mix dressing with a whisk or electric mixer. If using a whisk, cut up anchovies into small pieces with a sharp knife. Add dressing to the bowl a little bit at a time while tossing salad. Just add enough to cover salad without oversoaking leaves.

Cut chicken breast into cubes and add to salad, either on top or mixed in to coat with dressing.

Serve dish immediately.