People are cautious about anchovies. Some restaurants just leave anchovies out of their Caesar salads altogether so as not to offend anyone. Others will ask you when you order, “anchovies or no anchovies?” I think that translates to “Caesar or no Caesar?” because I don’t think a Caesar is a Caesar without anchovies.
That said, I don’t like the anchovies in my salad to stand up and slap me in the face. Anchovies in small amounts will disappear into a sauce or dressing and give it something, a hard-to-identify hit of umami. In my version of Caesar, I blend one anchovy filet into the dressing, and then offer additional filets as a garnish for those (named John) who want them. I’ll arrange 4 extra filets in a spoke pattern on top of John’s Caesar and when I bring it to the table he’ll say, “Ooh! Anchovies!!” While my salad is unadorned, just the way I like it.
If you’re really sure you hate anchovies, leave the anchovy out of the dressing and add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt in its place.
The other components of the dressing you’re wise to be careful of are the garlic and the lemon juice. Especially if you’re like me and tend to eyeball the quantity of ingredients while cooking instead of measuring.* In this case, it pays to be precise. Caesar salad is full of strong flavors – in addition to the aforementioned anchovy, there’s vinegar, Worcestershire, Parmesan. Garlic and lemon are the most powerful of all, and a little too much of either will throw off the balance of the dressing in a noticeable way. One teaspoon of lemon juice is a tiny amount – use a measuring spoon to be sure you’re not adding too much.
As for the rest of the salad: use the freshest crunchiest Romaine you can find; Parmigiana Reggiano is the king of cheeses; and homemade croutons are great but I confess I usually use store-bought, garlic-and-cheese flavor.
This recipe makes 2 large salads or 3 or 4 small ones. The large salad makes a great main if you add a protein such as grilled chicken, steak, shrimp or salmon; the smaller size is perfect for a first course or side.
Making this ahead and what to do with leftovers:
- Don’t. OK, the dressing (up to and including whisking in the olive oil) can be made an hour or so ahead; let it sit at room temperature, and re-whisk before adding the lettuce, cheese and croutons. But don’t make the entire salad ahead, and don’t try to keep leftovers. This is a make it and eat it dish – if you were in a good Italian restaurant, they would roll a cart up to your table and make it right in front of you. That’s a real Caesar.
To see this dish as part of a menu, and for a complete game plan including timing for all dishes, see my post for Saturday, November 9, 2019.
(*Guesstimate to whatever extent you’re comfortable with when cooking but ALWAYS measure or weigh ingredients when baking. See the FAQ on my About page for more on this subject.)
Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic (about ½ a clove)
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1/8 teaspoon Morton's)
- 1 anchovy filet, plus additional (up to 13 total)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces romaine lettuce, chopped (about 6 cups)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 ounces croutons (about 1½ heaping cups)
Directions
- Step 1 Combine the minced garlic, salt and 1 anchovy filet on a cutting board. Mince the mixture until the anchovy filet is in pieces the same size as the garlic, then turn the knife on its side and mash the mixture with the side of the knife until it forms a smooth paste. Transfer the paste to a large bowl.
- Step 2 Whisk in the pepper, egg yolk, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice until smooth. Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is thick and emulsified.
- Step 3 Add the chopped lettuce, Parmesan and croutons, and toss the salad until the lettuce is evenly coated with dressing and cheese.
- Step 4 Transfer the salad to plates. For anchovy lovers, offer additional anchovy filets on the side, or arrange the anchovies over the top of the salads, adding 2. 3 or 4 filets to each salad, to taste.
