Caesar Salad: History, Complete Recipe, and Original Dressing

The Caesar salad It's one of the most famous dishes in the world, but its origin has nothing to do with the Roman Empire (as many believe). It's a relatively modern recipe with a rather curious history.

A bit of history

The Caesar Salad was created in the 1920s in Tijuana, Mexico, at the restaurant of the Italian chef Caesar Cardini.

According to the most widely accepted version, one busy day with few ingredients available, Cardini improvised a salad with what he had in the kitchen: romaine lettuce, egg, toasted bread, cheese, and a dressing he created on the spot. The result was so good that it became an international classic.

Today there are many versions, but the original did not include chicken or crushed anchovies in the sauce (although they can be used in some modern variations).

Performance

• Serves 4 as a main course
• For 6-8 people as a companion

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 large romaine lettuces
• 100 g of bread (baguette or similar)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 40–60 g of flaked Parmesan cheese
• Black pepper to taste

Optional (modern versions):

• Grilled chicken breast
• Crispy bacon

Caesar dressing (the key to flavor)

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk (or 1 pasteurized egg)
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 2–3 anchovies (optional but highly recommended)
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 80–100 ml of mild olive oil or sunflower oil
• 30g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to make Caesar dressing

1. Crush the garlic with the anchovies until a paste is formed.
2. In a bowl, add the egg yolk and the mustard.
3. Incorporate the garlic and anchovy mixture.
4. Add the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
5. Emulsify Adding the oil little by little in a thin stream while mixing (like a light mayonnaise).
6. Add the Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
7. Adjust the texture with a few drops of water if it is too thick.

 Assembling the salad

1. Wash and cut the romaine lettuce into large pieces.
2. Toast the bread with olive oil until crispy.
3. Mix the lettuce with some of the sauce.
4. Add the toasted bread.
5. Finish with shavings of Parmesan cheese and more sauce to taste.
6. (Optional) add chicken or bacon on top.

 Tips

• The lettuce should be very dry so that the sauce adheres well.
• The sauce can be made in advance, but it's even better freshly made.
• If you don't want to use raw egg, use pasteurized egg or mayonnaise as a base.