Toss It On The Dressing

Among all the salads I can think think of, one that really stands out in my list would be Caesar's Salad. Yes, a melody of fresh and crisp assorted lettuces, garlic and herbed croutons and smoked bacon bits with generous toppings of parmesan cheese would be something to crave for. But, a salad won't be a salad unless it has a dressing to highlight its full flavor. Dressings that may come in different variations depending on how one would like to have it - maybe in herbed olive oil and balsamic dressing,  a tangy ranch dressing or just simple homemade vinaigrette.

For Caesar's salad, the best dressing would have to be nothing else but, a Caesar salad dressing. Way before, I usually buy bottled dressings sold in gourmet shops or grocery stores. Stocks come out rare and are quite bit expensive that I often wonder If I can just concoct my own version to spare me from spending so much for the ready made dressing. But, I just don't have the slightest idea on how to make it. Ive'd tried reading recipe books and even attempted to make some, only to have the finished dressing end up in the receptacle.

 

Not until recently, did I finally perfect the formula to a spectacular and flavorful Caesar salad dressing. (FYI - Caesar Salad isn't named after a famous Roman emperor but is rather, a name of its original inventor - Restaurateur Caesar Cardini ) The most important element to consider in creating a home made dressing is - freshness and quality. Use only the freshest ingredients available as not to compromise its quality. Fresh eggs,  top of the line anchovies, fresh garlic and the finest olive oil available.

First, you have to combine freshly cracked eggyolks, salt, pepper and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice will act as an agent for the emulsion of the fat present in the egg yolk and the olive oil. Without the lemon juice, your dressing will turn out to be a sure failure. With this, I  decided to use the Kitchen Aid machine  instead of the manual wire whisk since the process is quite tedious.

Beat the eggs at low speed. Once the eggs and the rest of the ingredients are already combined, slowly pour the olive oil in thin streams the . The reason for pouring it slowly is for the eggs to slowly emulsify with the oil . If you pour the oil in large portions the tendency is that the eggyolks will be petrified and the dressing will curdle. 

As soon the mixture thickens, reduce the speed and add a few tablespoons of yellow mustard, chopped anchovies, finely chopped garlic, a dash of tabasco and drops of Lea  and Perrins Worcestershire sauce. Mix at low speed for 5 minutes until the dressing thickens and finally achieves the right body. Voila! You now have your perfect homemade Caesar Dressing. Fresh and with just the right touch that it's bottled counterparts fails to deliver. 

While whisking the dressing, I also made a bowl of Caesar Salad. Since, the ingredients are readily available I  might as well make it extravagant. I layered some assorted romaine and iceberg lettuce, crunchy garlic and herbed croutons, chopped fried turkey bacon, sliced grilled chicken breast, sliced boiled eggs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. This and my freshly made dressing is a perfect pair on this stressful day. Now, comfort is just a few toss away. Bon Apetit!