# Can anyone please share a fail-proof recipe for Caesar salad dressing?



## AlexR (Jul 31, 2005)

I love the stuff, but it is very expensive to buy prepared (I live outside the US).

Of course, I have surfed the Web, and there are ideed a bunch of recipes out there, but I would be delighted to receive some feedback from somone who likes Caesar salads as much as me, and who has fine-tuned a dressing that suits them to a tee.

Thanks in advance,
Best regards,
Alex R.


----------



## Andy M. (Jul 31, 2005)

*Caesar Salad Dressing*

1 Egg Yolk
2 Garlic 
2 Tb Dijon mustard 
1/4 tsp Salt 
2 Tb Lemon juice 
2 Oz Anchovy filets
TT Black Pepper
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated 

Place the yolk, garlic, mustard, salt, lemon juice, anchovies and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.

With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Do not continue to blend after all the oil has been added.

Toss the salad with the dressing, cheese and croutons.


----------



## AlexR (Jul 31, 2005)

*Thanks Andy*

I joined this forum about an hour ago, and your help was lightenting quick!

I'll print this out and try it next week when my wife's away on vacation (she likes milder food).

Thanks a lot,
Alex R.


----------



## kitchenelf (Jul 31, 2005)

Mine is very similar but with the addition of Worchestershire and a bit of red wine vinegar.


----------



## Ishbel (Jul 31, 2005)

KitchenElf
I'm really interested in your answer to this question.

Do you pronounce Worcestershire exactly how you typed it?


----------



## AlexR (Jul 31, 2005)

*Worcestershire sauce*

Go to this link http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary
and type in Worcestershire sauce and this is what you find
(hey, they'll actually pronounce it for you).

Main Entry: *Worces·ter·shire sauce*



Pronunciation: 'wus-t&(r)-"shir-, -sh&r- _also _-"shIr-
Function: _noun_
Etymology: _Worcestershire, _England, where it was originally made
*:* a pungent sauce whose ingredients include soy, vinegar, and garlic 

Two points of trivia:

1) Although this sauce is English, the British say "Worcester sauce" and not "Worcestershire".

2) The major firm to make this sauce, Lee & Perrins, is actually French owned (Danone group).

Best regards,
Alex R.


----------



## kitchenelf (Jul 31, 2005)

Wooster or Wuster is how it's pronounced

My Caesar salad dressing makes a large amount so you will have to scale it down quite a bit - but here is my recipe:

1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
8 whole eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup anchovy paste
1 cup chopped garlic
1 cup Dijon mustard
2 cups olive oil
2 cups grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 talll skinny jars non-peril capers

Mix red wine vinegar and slowly mix in oil with a wisk.  Add eggs, lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, Dijon mustard and cheese.

Makes 1 gallon

Sometimes I used slices of red onion, sometimes I don't.

People say there are only yolks in a Caesar but this is my recipe and it's wonderful. I have actually just added 2 whole eggs and used just egg whites from the rest of the eggs. I look at the eggs as the transportation to get everything else mixed around the romaine.

I rinse each leaf and roll in several dish towels and place in refrigerator. They will stay very crisp this way. When I'm ready I pull off the very green tops as they can be bitter sometimes and the very hard bottoms. I have a wooden Caesar salad bowl that I use for nothing but Caesar salads. I always make my dressing in that and sometimes I will lay a piece of plastic wrap on top and then place my already torn romaine on top.

To make the croutons I use a baguette, sliced in 1/4 or so inch slices. Mix olive oil (and in this all dried herbs are fine) basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Toss the baguette slices with this mixture and brown in a hot oven, tossing occasionally to bring the ones from the bottom to the top. Once these are fully cooled they can be stored in a glass container with a lid - they are GREAT to snack on!


----------



## Ishbel (Jul 31, 2005)

Alix
Yes, I know how to pronouce it - I was slightly discomknockerated by the spelling of WorcHestershire!  Believe me, I've heard many an American pronouce it that way instead of Wooster!  
And yes, we DO call it Wooster Sors....

I'd also like a pound for every time (when living in London) American tourists asked the way to LIE SESTER square - (it's Lester!)


----------



## kitchenelf (Jul 31, 2005)

lol Ishbel - yes, everyone here pretty much pronounces it worsetershire - hey, and don't be sayin' stuff like _discomknockerated_ here - could get you penalized

(love that word but I'll have to print it out and carry it with me to remember it!!!)


----------



## Ishbel (Jul 31, 2005)

Elf

Heheheeee 
I've said it before 'Two nations separated by a common language'!!!

Discomknockerated?  You mean that isn't part of the American vocabulary.....?  You amaze me!!!!

It means - as far as I know 'knocked sideways'.... 'all of a tizzy' etc!


----------



## kitchenelf (Jul 31, 2005)

I think it's translated here into whompupsidethehead


----------



## Shunka (Jul 31, 2005)

I know that meaning by "discombobbalated!"


----------



## ironchef (Jul 31, 2005)

Alex, just remember that NO recipe is fail-proof if it is not done right.


----------



## AllenOK (Jul 31, 2005)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> lol Ishbel - yes, everyone here pretty much pronounces it worsetershire - hey, and don't be sayin' stuff like _discomknockerated_ here - could get you penalized
> 
> (love that word but I'll have to print it out and carry it with me to remember it!!!)



Discomknockerated?  ROFL!  How about "discombobulated"?

Here's my recipe for Caesar.  It's scaled-down from one of the 4-gallon yield recipes that I've made at work.  I haven't made it at home to test it.  I have serious doubts about the 3/4 CUP of cracked black pepper.  I don't have the original recipe here at home to double-check it.

Note that I have a tip about wrapping the mixer with plastic wrap.  This is a for a Stand mixer, like a Kitchenaid.  Make sure that nothing extends into the mixing bowl, or the whisk will rip it up and into the dressing.

You can cheat, by pouring the mustard, pepper, salt, Worcestershire, anchovies, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and egg yolks into a large container, and mixing it with an immersion blender (Emeril's "boat motor").  Add the oil and vinegar in a slow, steady stream, while blending.

Caesar Dressing
Yields: 1 pt

1 t Dijon mustard
¾ c cracked black pepper
3/8 t salt
1 t Worcestershire
One 2 oz tin of anchovies, puréed
1 T parmesan
3 t minced garlic
½ t lemon juice
1 egg yolk

1 ½ c salad oil
2 ½ T red wine vinegar

	In the bottom of a mixing bowl, add the Dijon mustard, pepper, salt, Worcestershire, anchovies, parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, and egg yolks.  Mix thoroughly.  Place bowl on machine, and wrap with plastic wrap to enclose the bowl.  Open a small hole to pour the remaining liquids.  Start stirring with the whisk attachment on a High speed.  Alternately add the oil and red wine vinegar in a slow, steady stream, until a smooth, uniform mixture is formed.


----------



## Ishbel (Aug 1, 2005)

I'll see your discombobulated and raise you a 'thingamejig'....


----------



## AllenOK (Aug 1, 2005)

Ishbel said:
			
		

> I'll see your discombobulated and raise you a 'thingamejig'....



I'll raise you a "thingamajiggerwhositfrick" and call.


----------



## Gerrycooks (Aug 1, 2005)

*Safe Ceasar Dressing*

Please be careful when serving Caesar Salad to people with weak Immune Systems. Non Pasturized eggs can contain bacteria that can make some people ill.
Pasturized eggs are easy to find in grocery stores.
I would never make a recipe using raw eggs without using Pasturized eggs and I think recipes using them should automatically contain this warnig.
I'll get off my soap box now. thanks for reading this.
Ps my immune system is compromised.


----------



## kadesma (Aug 1, 2005)

Ishbel said:
			
		

> Elf
> 
> Heheheeee
> I've said it before 'Two nations separated by a common language'!!!
> ...


Ishbel, I love it  I'm adding it to my dad's favorite dicumbooberated...He would never tell us what it meant, but, it worked everytime he said it, stopped us in our tracks!!! 
kadesma


----------



## Andy M. (Aug 1, 2005)

Salmonella can be a serious problem for folks with compromised immune systems.  I wish your statement about pasteurized being easy to find was true.  The markets I frequent don't carry them even though I ask for them.


----------



## kitchenelf (Aug 1, 2005)

Thanks GerryCook - I am always very cautious about using eggs - I will sustitute with virtually no harm to the dressing Egg Beaters or something like them.  They work just fine in those situations.  Intimate dinner at home with healthy people I don't have a problem - large crowd with several elderly NO WAY!  I just assume everyone knows that - thanks for pointing them out.

I can get pasturized eggs here.  Can you coddle them to make them safe?


----------



## Gerrycooks (Aug 2, 2005)

*Safe raw egg recipes*

One web site I visited said it is difficut to sterilize eggs at home. I have used this technique but still feel safer using the commercially available pasturized eggs.
Health food stores should have pasturized eggs if you can't find them in grocery stores.

Sterilized egg yolks. 
 2 lrg egg yolks 2 tea lemon juice 2 T water. Using fork or wire wisk, beat egg yolks until smooth in a 2 cup glass meassuring cup. Add lemon juice and beat again, Add water and beat again.
Cover the glass cup with plastic wrap and cook in a microwave on high until yolks begin to move or at 30 seconds of cooking open door at 10 sec intervals to check. When yolks begin to move, cook 8-10 sec more. Using a clean fork stir the yolks until smooth. Return yolks to microwave and heat on high until yolks begin to heave again. Using a clean forkbeat vigorously. Let stand 1 minute.

Mayonaise
Place Sterilized egg yolks  in a food processor or mixer  and process until smooth. Slowly add oil in a thin strean. Add salt and 1- 1 1/2 T lemon juice to taste. Process until thick and smooth.

Hollandaise Sauce
Beat 1-2 slices butter into hot egg yolks. Place in a small sauce pan over low heat, Add remaining butter slices and beat slowly just until melted. Adjust seasonings

Safe Caesar Salad
1/2 c olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 T lemon juice
salt, pepper
6 c torn Romaine
1-2 sterilized egg yolks
! c Garlic croutons
1/3 c grated Parmesan
anchovies
In a blender combine olive oil, garlic and process until smooth. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing into the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add anchovies and mash into dressing until well blended. Stir in egg yolks. Add Romaine and toss until leaves are coated and shiny. Add Garlic croutons and mix lightly. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.
These recipes were published in the Cleveland Plaindealer


----------



## Gerrycooks (Aug 2, 2005)

*coddling eggs*

kitchenelf,
I read that coddling eggs is not safe because you can't be sure the eggs get to the proper temperatue to kill the bacteria.


----------



## Constance (Aug 3, 2005)

As long as your eggs are good and fresh, and without cracks, I wouldn't worry about it at all.


----------



## ajrubyo (Aug 3, 2005)

If it's not too late, here is a very good recipe, especially for those who have a problem with raw eggs. This dressing is cooked, and it's light, fresh & delicious. It also lasts for a very long time in the refrigerator. I was surprised at how good it is:

LEMONY CAESAR SALAD

Have all ingredients ready before starting:

1   egg

1/3  cup chicken broth 

2   anchovy fillets or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (or use crushed olives)

3  tablespoons olive oil

Zest of one lemon (or 1 tbsp)

2  tablespoons lemon juice

1  teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1/4  teaspoon white wine Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce - i prefer soy)

1 garlic cloves (if desired) for dressing

1  clove garlic, halved

10  cups torn romaine

6   cherry tomatoes, halved

1  cup croutons

1/4  cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. For dressing, in a blender container or food processor bowl combine egg, broth, anchovy fillets or olives, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, garlic clove and Worcestershire or Soy sauce. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Transfer dressing to a small saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Do not boil. Transfer dressing to a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

 2. To serve, rub the inside of a wooden salad bowl with the cut sides of the garlic clove; discard garlic clove. Add romaine, cherry tomatoes, croutons, and Parmesan cheese to salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad. Toss lightly to coat. Transfer to salad plates. Grind peppercorns over each serving. Makes 6 side-dish servings.

 Nutritional Information
 Nutritional facts per serving
calories: 139, total fat: 10g, saturated fat: 2g, cholesterol: 40mg, sodium: 247mg, carbohydrate: 8g, fiber: 2g, protein: 6g, vitamin A: 27%, vitamin C: 48%, calcium: 10%


----------



## Barbara L (Aug 4, 2005)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> lol Ishbel - yes, everyone here pretty much pronounces it worsetershire - hey, and don't be sayin' stuff like _discomknockerated_ here - could get you penalized
> 
> (love that word but I'll have to print it out and carry it with me to remember it!!!)


An old joke about how Worcestershire sauce (I pronounce it worse-ter-sheer) got its name is that a drunk grabbed the bottle and said, "Wuzz dis shere sauce?"

 Barbara


----------



## Ishbel (Aug 4, 2005)

We say Wooster sauce (we don't use the shire!!)

As I said, Leicester is not pronounced Lye sester, but Lester...

Bicester is Bister

Leominster is Lemster

And don't get me started on British surnames!

Cholmondleigh is Chumley
Gilzean  is Gillen
MacFadzen is MacFadden
Menzies is Ming iss
Mainwairing is Mannering

And others, too numerous to mention


----------



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 14, 2005)

If I remember correctly, eggs don't begin to set until they reach temperatures above 170 degrees F.  That being the case, bring the eggs to 150 degrees in water and let sit for 15 minutes.  This will kill the salmonella and render the eggs sterilized.  Or, you could bombard them with gamma radiation (like ultra-violet and x-rays, but higher power).

Also, the salmonella resides on the outside of the shell.  If the egg is washed judiciously, and the soft parts of the egg are not allowed to touch the outer shell, there is no risk.  But if you can't find sterilized eggs, it's still better to do it yourself.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North


----------

