Caesar Salad

Today we are making Caesar salad, this is an easy recipe to make at home. It uses a handful of ingredients and comes together fairly quick. Many people are unaware of the fascinating story behind the creation of Caesar salad.

In 1924, a restaurateur was running low on supplies and used the ingredients he had on hand: Garlic, Croutons, Lettuce, Parmesan cheese, Olive oil, Lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Interestingly, at that time, the Caesar salad recipe did not use anchovies. Some people say that anchovies are a must; others use a touch of fish sauce instead. In actuality, you can omit it entirely, especially if you are using Dijon mustard.

At the time, what made the Caesar salad special was the theatrics and flair that went into making it tableside for customers; this ‘extra step‘ was a huge hit, and Hollywood celebrities flocked to his restaurant to enjoy the dining experience.

Much of the popularity of Caesar salad is attributed to its salad dressing. The Salad dressing is very simple to make and comprises of a few simple ingredients. When making the Caesar Salad dressing, you are presented with two choices. You can use a store-bought salad dressing or make your own version at home. For this recipe, we are using home-made mayonnaise which uses a combination of olive oil and grapeseed oil.

The amount of salad dressing you make for this recipe will depend on the quantity of salad you are preparing, also take into consideration how many people will be indulging in this salad. As mentioned above, the original Caesar salad did not use Anchovies in it. Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard makes up for it. If you choose to use anchovies, take a look at the necessary adjustments in the recipe below.

Ingredients

Parmesan cheese, White Pepper, Lemon, Lettuce, Garlic, Chicken Breast, Old Baguette, Mustard Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Mayonnaise sauce.

The heart of a Caesar salad comprises of the salad dressing, croutons and tender chicken breast. The salad dressing is made with Lemon, Mustard sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Mayonnaise, Garlic, White Pepper, and Grated Parmesan cheese.

Where is the salt? Most recipes use salt; however, in this recipe. We have left out the salt. The Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard sauce make up for the salt content. Depending on the ingredients you have on hand, you can taste and adjust the saltiness as needed.

Making the croutons is pretty simple, you can make it at home or you can choose to use the store-bought version, use the most convenient option. When it comes to the Mustard sauce, it will make a world of difference to use an authentic Dijon mustard, this will make your Caesar salad taste incredible.

Instructions

If you are making mayonnaise from scratch. Leave out the egg until it reaches room temperature. This will take a few minutes. Add the oils to the measuring container, crack the egg and add it in. Use a hand mixer to emulsify the ingredients, start from the bottom and work your way upwards. This mixture will thicken and emulsify into mayonnaise. Add the Dijon mustard, lemon juice and vinegar into the mixture, emulsify again. Taste and adjust the ingredients to suit your taste. Full detailed instructions on How to make mayonnaise at home.

Add the Mayonnaise to a bowl. Add Worcestershire sauce. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Add more olive oil or grapeseed oil. Add black pepper & salt. Add Parmesan cheese. Whisk vigorously.

The next step is to make the croutons. Home-made croutons are healthier and less salty than the store bought version. Cut your baguette into slices and then cube into blocks. Thereafter, lay onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake in the oven for twenty minutes. Remove from oven.

How to cook your chicken? There are two ways to cook moist and tender chicken breast. The first method is to shallow-poach the chicken. Start by defrosting the chicken breast and slicing the chicken into cubes and slices. Add a little bit of water to a pan along with butter.

Cook the chicken until the meat turns from pink to white on medium low heat. Make sure that the pot lid is covered. Once the chicken is cooked, grill with more butter on a grill pan. This step will give you the softest and most tender chicken pieces.

You can shallow poach and grill a large amount of chicken and use it through-out the week to make more chicken-based salads or use the tender chicken in sandwiches or on top of home-made pizzas.

If you are short on time and want to grill the chicken as fast as possible. Add butter to a grill pan. Add the defrosted chicken breast with rosemary and cook for approximately six minutes on each side, using a grill pan lid or a piece of foil.

Thereafter, flip and cook for two more minutes on each side without the use of the foil or grill pan lid. After cooking, set aside it and let it rest for five minutes to prevent the juices from seeping out. Considering the rest time, it is more convenient and faster to follow the first set of instructions.

Thereafter, arrange your washed lettuce leaves on a plate. Slice up your chicken breast and place on top of the lettuce. Place croutons on salad. Then drizzle with your Caesar salad dressing.

What to Serve with your Caesar Salad?

There are many main dishes that you can serve alongside with your Caesar Salad. Since this salad has protein, consider a home-made tomato soup or a turnip soup alongside garlic bread. Roasted potatoes or vegetables would complement the salad. If you are going for a vegetarian Caesar salad, consider Grilled steak or Lamb chops. Spaghetti aglio e olio or Sage butter pasta are great options for a fulfilling meal.

How to Store your Caesar Salad?

You can prepare your ingredients such as croutons, grilled chicken, salad dressing ahead of time. It is advisable to store each component in individual airtight containers. Make sure to wash your lettuce leaves and let it dry. Store croutons in a dry container. Salad dressing needs to be in the fridge. If you are using egg yolk (this recipe omits egg yolk), we advise you to omit whisking in the egg yolk until the day of use. Storing each of these components separately will preserve the individual ingredients for 3 to 4 days.