Giuseppe’s (Joe’s) Caesar Salad

This excellent dressing is a little different from the one I gave you a few days ago (see Rosalie’s Caesar Salad and Nicole’s Special Croutons posted Mar. 4, 2012). My friend Joe is known for his outstanding Caesar Salad. This is his exclusive recipe - one of the finest salads I’ve ever tasted.

Giuseppe’s (Joe’s) Caesar Salad:

6 tbsp. canola oil

2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. salt (do not reduce)

1 coddled egg (see Note)

2 tsp. fresh finely chopped garlic

⅛ tsp. each granulated sugar, coarsely ground pepper, dry mustard, tarragon

3 drops hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco

4 drops Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. fresh parsley

2 heads crisp Romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn (not sliced)
1 whole clove garlic, for rubbing inside of wooden serving bowl

1 c. Nicole’s Special Croutons (see note above this recipe)

¾ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ lb. crisp, crumbled bacon or 1 dozen broken anchovies (optional)

Combine all ingredients except lettuce, croutons, cheese, and bacon or anchovies in blender or small bowl. Blend on low speed or whisk to combine. Toss together with Romaine in large work bowl. Peel and rub garlic clove with vigor inside wooden serving bowl. Discard clove. Transfer tossed, dressed greens to serving bowl. Top with croutons, cheese, and bacon or broken anchovies. Serve immediately. Serves 6-to-8.

Note: To coddle an egg in the shell, place it in a small bowl and pour water just below the boiling point around it, completely submerging it for 1 min. Remove from water bath, quickly chilling under cold, running water until it is cool enough to handle before adding to dressing. Use only the freshest eggs to make this salad.

Place crisp, torn lettuce leaves into a large bowl

Squeeze one fresh lemon

Add lemon juice to other ingredients in blender or bowl

Add coddled egg

Combine on low speed of blender

Toss in original work bowl before
transferring to salad bowl

Immediately before serving, add croutons, freshly
grated Parmesan, and bacon or anchovies

Light a candle, have a glass of wine and a baguette,
and enjoy a wonderfully lazy meal!