You might think Caesar Salad is American, but legend has it that it was invented in Tijuana in the 1920s by an Italian named Caesar Cardini, who originally called it “aviator’s salad” because so many of the U.S. Air Force pilots based in San Diego loved it. In any case, the secret to a great Caesar salad is making sure everything is as fresh as you can get it—this includes the eggs and lettuce—and the best quality possible: freshly grated (and real) Parmesan and good anchovies, packed in either salt or olive oil.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Peel away all of the dark green (and even medium dark green) outer leaves of the romaine heads; you want only hearts and tender inner leaves.
Step 2
Rub the inside of your salad bowl with the garlic clove; discard it. Add the oil, vinegar, and anchovies to the bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs, salt and pepper, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Taste the dressing on a leaf of romaine at this point and assess how much more acidity it needs and whether or not it will need any additional salt (remembering that you’re going to add more salty Parmesan in a minute) or pepper. Add lemon juice to taste and salt and pepper as necessary.
Step 3
Toss the lettuce in the dressing; top with the croutons and remaining Parmesan, then bring to the table and toss again. Serve immediately.
