Caesar Salad
I can’t remember the last time I went to the grocery store.
That really never happens to me. I have been known to go to the grocery store every day for an entire week, sometimes to pick up items for dinner and sometimes just to pick up one ingredient that I need for a certain baked good. Because of my current lab-law office-lab schedule, I haven’t had much time or energy to get to the grocery store and cook a dinner. Andreas has been kind enough to pick up my slack this month to keep our fridge and fruit bowl relatively stocked, but on Tuesday night when he was out of town for business, I kept my grocery store streak going and went straight home, convinced I could either pull together a dinner out of what we had in the fridge or, worst case scenario, order take-out.
And so.. I made my first caesar salad from scratch. Perhaps it was the successful aioli-making experience I’d had recently that inspired me to tackle the caesar dressing (which is super simple). The best part about this salad is that the dressing was light and flavorful- a little went a long way. Since there was no mayonnaise in it, my salad avoided the heavy, almost soggy and over-dressed feeling of some restaurant caesar salads. It was a satisfying one person weeknight dinner.
Caesar Salad
makes about 2 large servings
2 heads of romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped or torn
1/4-1/2 cup of grated (I like to use the bigger holes for bigger parmesan slivers) parmigiano reggiano *see recommendation below
croutons *see recommendation below
Caesar Dressing adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 egg (or 2 tablespoons mayonnaise)
juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons anchovy paste (or 1-2 anchovy fillets, minced)
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh pepper (or to taste)
Whisk together egg, lemon juice, mustard, anchovy, garlic, and worchestershire. Once a homogeneous mixture has been achieved, add olive oil in a slow steady stream, and whisk briskly to combine. Season with salt and pepper. The dressing can be covered and kept in the fridge for 1 day.
**Two things I would highly recommend:
home-made croutons: If you have any bread around (this is a great way to use up old bread too!)- just do yourself a favor and make your own croutons.. they just taste so much better and they can be done in the same amount of time it would take you to pull together your salad anyway!
Croutons
Cut bread into 1/2 inch cubes. Line a small baking sheet with foil and spread cubes over it. Dribble olive oil over the bread. Season with salt, pepper, and dried italian seasoning (or any other herb you desire). Mix the cubes around to get most covered with the oil and seasonings (this can be done in a bowl before you place it on the baking sheet, but I am usually too lazy). Bake at 350 degrees in oven (I use my toaster oven) for about 10-15 minutes or until dry and crispy.
parmigiano reggiano: I grew up in a household where the only parmesan I knew came from a bright green can that was kept in the fridge for… ever. A few years ago I graduated to buying little blocks of American parmesan. Last year I tasted REAL parmigiano reggiano… it is pricier than its American cousin, but the taste is unbeatable. Plus, you don’t need nearly as much to get the amazing salty sharp parmesan flavor; so one could actually argue that the price is comparable. If it doesn’t have the words “parmigiano reggiano” stamped onto the sides (rind), like this:
IT IS AN IMPOSTER SO DON’T BOTHER.
