This Classic Salad, Caesar with Caesar dressing, was often served as a table-side feature, much like table-side guacamole at a nice Mexican restaurant. The waiter or chef would come to the table and, in a wooden bowl, add mustard, garlic, and anchovies and grind them all together. They would then separate an egg and add the egg yolk to the bowl, whisking it together, and drizzle some oil as they continued to whisk. Then, a small amount of lemon juice and champagne vinegar. The dressing would be tossed with Romaine lettuce, then the salad would be plated and topped with Parmesan cheese. If you were a fan, an anchovy or two could be added, along with some home-style croutons. Even today, this salad remains a true favorite.
Homemade Caesar Dressing vs Store-Bought
Many of the things we buy often use only a couple of ingredients if they were homemade; however, store-bought products usually add several preservatives and additives, which have varying opinions on their use. Personally, I feel natural is better, and homemade is always better. Anytime you can avoid putting a byproduct or something to preserve something that isn’t 100% natural, you should avoid that. In the process of making it homemade, you will prevent those additives.
To make it from scratch you will take some mustard in a bowl, mash some anchovies and garlic into the mustard and a splash of lemon juice. Whisk all of these ingredients together. You will take one egg and separate the yolk from the white. Place the yolk in the bowl with the other ingredients and whisk them together until smooth. Slowly drizzle some oil into the egg mixture while you are whisking the ingredients. The mixture will start to thicken; continue whisking, and then drizzle in your vinegar. The mixture should lighten up. Continue drizzling your oil while whisking, and then adjust the vinegar slightly.
Caesar Dressing Uses
Caesar dressing is such a great salad dressing. Most people love the combination of flavors, as it pairs well with the romaine lettuce. So what Caesar dressing uses might there be? The possibilities are endless. Essentially, you can use Caesar dressing for anything you use for a spread, a dip, a marinade, or a glazing item.
Here are a few ideas:
Toss your oven-fried chicken into Caesar dressing, then coat with bread crumbs and bake.
When serving vegetables as part of a vegetable platter, consider using this as one of the dips.
BLT won’t be the same if you use this as a condiment in place of mayonnaise
Marinate your steak or chicken in Caesar before grilling it
The next time you make pizza, try a drizzle of Caesar over your chicken and bacon pizza.
Keep the pizza white with no sauce, place your chicken (cooked) and crisp bacon bits over the top, and drizzle with Caesar.
An Easy Caesar Dressing Recipe
To make it from scratch, take some mustard in a bowl, mash in some anchovies and garlic, and add a splash of lemon juice. Whisk all of these ingredients together. You will take one egg and separate the yolk from the white. Place the yolk in the bowl with the other ingredients and whisk them together until smooth. Slowly drizzle some oil into the egg mixture while you are whisking the ingredients. The mixture will start to thicken; continue whisking, and then drizzle in your vinegar. The mixture should lighten up. Continue drizzling the oil while whisking, and then adjust the vinegar slightly.
Take note of this: whisking is the classic way to do this; however, an alternative method is to use an immersion blender. You place this into a narrow container and turn it on as if you were whisking. The trick here is that there needs to be enough volume for it to work; the blade needs to be submerged. However, if you do it, it works great. To the right is a link to an immersion blender, also known as a stick blender, wand, or beurre mixer.
Caesar Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 oz. White Vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
- ¼ oz. Anchovy Filets
- 2 each Egg Yolks
- 1 tsp. Minced Garlic
- 8 oz. Olive Oil Blend 10- 25 % EVOO and oil
- 1 oz Lemon Squeezed for juice
- 1 T Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Combine top 5 ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender, begin blending
- Slowly add ½ oil
- Slowly add ½ Vinegar
- Continue adding oil
- Finish Adding oil, check for flavor and consistency
