LETTUCE ENTERTAIN YOU

Caesar Cardini, an Italian Mexican, invented the Caesar Salad. Signor Cardini, a chef-restauranteur, immigrated from Italy to the USA and later in 1922, opened his first restaurant in Tijuana.

Original Caesar Salad Recipe (courtesy Caesar’s Restaurante Bar)

Ingredients:
1 head Romaine lettuce, dark outer leaves discarded
1 coddled, large egg
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon® brand preferred)
2 ounces anchovies, broken up (2 teaspoons anchovy paste can be substituted)
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Garlic croutons, for garnish (can be substituted with baguette toasts)

Rinse lettuce leaves under cold water; spin them dry and gently pat with paper towels. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or more (this can be done the night before or early in the morning the day of). To coddle the egg: set an egg in a 2-cup bowl. Pour boiling water over the egg and set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large wooden or stainless steel bowl, whisk together the garlic, mustard, anchovies or anchovy paste, Worchestershire sauce, vinegar, lime juice, salt and black pepper until well blended; set aside. Crack the egg - keep the yolk and discard the white. Add egg yolk to mixture in bowl, then slowly whisk in the olive oil in a stream until dressing emulsifies and all oil is absorbed. Stir half of the cheese into the dressing and reserve the other half. Add the whole Romaine lettuce leaves to the dressing in bowl and gently roll them around until they are thoroughly coated. Divide the salad evenly among 2 or 4 plates. Garnish each serving with remaining Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a few croutons. Serve immediately.