The Caesar salad can have various aromatic profiles (for example, sweet and sour or salty) and contain different ingredients. The traditional recipe involves the use of raw yolk and anchovies, but in case of aversion you can replace them with mayonnaise or Worcestershire sauce.
Ingrediants
Traditional recipe
Doses for 6-8 servings
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 minced clove of garlic
- A pinch of salt
- 1 pasteurized egg yolk
- Juice of one lemon
- 5 ml of Dijon mustard
- 300 ml of olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- A pinch of ground black pepper
Easy version
Doses for 6-8 servings
- 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 15 ml of distilled white vinegar
- A pinch of salt
- 30 ml of mayonnaise
- 125 ml of olive oil
- 30 ml of lemon juice
- 5 ml of Worcestershire sauce
- 120 g of grated cheese
- A pinch of ground black pepper
- 5 g anchovy paste (optional)
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Traditional Recipe
Step 1. Make an anchovy and garlic paste
Cut the anchovies and garlic cloves with a sharp knife. Grind them to a pulp with the flat side of the blade, then sprinkle them with salt.
- A small can of anchovy fillets should suffice. Choose those in oil, but drain them well before using them to prepare the sauce.
- If you don't want to use anchovies, you could replace them with 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of ready-made anchovy paste.
Step 2. Place the anchovy paste in a medium sized bowl
Add the egg yolk, lemon juice and mustard and beat them well to mix them.
Use only pasteurized eggs, as the sauce does not need to be cooked and it is dangerous to use raw egg yolks
Step 3. Gradually add the oil
Pour a drizzle of olive oil over the ingredients and beat them in the meantime. Continue until the sauce is thick and shiny.
- The ingredients should emulsify completely, forming a thick and homogeneous seasoning.
- If you can't pour in the oil and whisk the ingredients at the same time, add 15ml at a time and then whisk the mixture progressively. If the oil is added too quickly, it will be difficult to mix it with the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4. Sprinkle the Parmesan and ground black pepper dressing
Beat the ingredients to mix them.
You could also add more salt and lemon juice at this point. Taste the seasoning and adjust accordingly
Step 5. Use the room temperature dressing to serve the Caesar salad
You can also keep it in the fridge for a few hours and use it cold.
The dressing can be prepared 24 hours in advance, but best used within 1 or 2 days. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and beat it lightly before serving
Method 2 of 2: Easy Version
Step 1. Put the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, white vinegar and salt in the jug of a blender or in the bowl of a food processor
Operate it to mix the ingredients.
- Let them mix until you get a homogeneous mixture. Either way, there should be some chopped garlic pieces left. It is not necessary to prepare a perfectly smooth paste.
- Remember that you should use chopped garlic instead of dried. If you have a whole head of garlic, mash or mince 4 cloves before putting them in the blender.
Step 2. Pour the mayonnaise into the blender
Let it work for a few seconds or until you get a thick paste.
Mayonnaise can replace egg yolk, typical of the traditional Caesar salad recipe. Since it contains egg, it can give the same degree of thickness and creaminess to the sauce, while reducing the risk of getting food poisoning
Step 3. Pour a drizzle of olive oil over the remaining ingredients through the hole in the blender lid and run on low power until it blends well
Once you have a thick and even seasoning, scoop up the residues from the sides of the blender jar with a spatula. Add them to the rest of the mixture and mix
Step 4. Pause the blender
Add the anchovy paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan and black pepper. Operate it for a few more seconds or until the mixture is smooth.
- Alternatively, you could mix these ingredients by hand with the rest of the dressing, rather than using the blender.
- Anchovy paste is optional. However, Worcestershire sauce allows you to obtain a sauce with a characteristic intense and salty flavor. However, adding anchovy paste allows you to emphasize this particular aromatic profile.
- Taste the dressing and adjust as needed.
