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!

Rosalie’s Caesar Salad

This Caesar Salad is outstanding. Although my generous and tremendously kind friend Rosalie gave it to me many, many years ago, it remains one of the best Caesar dressings I’ve ever tasted. While commercially made croutons are quite acceptable, see my recipe for Nicole’s Special Croutons. If you’re going to make something outstanding like this recipe, why buy adequate croutons when it’s so easy to make great ones? 

Rosalie’s Caesar Salad:

6 garlic cloves 

One-to-two 1-½ oz. (50 g) cans anchovies, drained

1 c. (250 mL) olive oil

2 tsp. (10 mL) dry mustard

¼ c. (60 mL) fresh lemon juice (see Note)

⅓ c. (80 mL) red wine vinegar

1-½ tsp. (7.5 mL) Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes hot pepper sauce (Rosalie uses Tabasco)

Chilled Romaine lettuce, as needed

Freshly grated or shaved Parmesan cheese, as needed

Croutons, commercially or homemade, as needed 

In a food processor or wide-based blender, combine all ingredients except Romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and croutons. Toss with crisp, chilled lettuce just until leaves glisten, sprinkling with fresh Parmesan and with croutons. Serve at once. 

Note: Rolling room-temperature lemons over a flat surface as you apply pressure with the palm of your hand will extract the maximum amount of juice by breaking up the tough membranes within. 

Always refrigerate anchovies - even 

if the can has never been opened!

The original Caesar Salad used 

torn leaves. I prefer to chop mine.

Toss with dressing and a flurry 

of grated or shaved Parmesan.

Croutons provide the finishing touch!