Genuine Caesar dressing involves codding an egg; that is, cooking it till the white is just cooked and the yolk is slightly thickened but still runny. While delicious, that's a little fussy for my taste. Also, there is the risk of salmonella.
I discoverd this Caesar dressing recipe in a Good Housekeeping mag a few years ago. (And just now tracked it down online, here.) It uses mayo (light or egg-free, if you want), in place of the usual eggs. It's a great base, but I love a garlicky 'Caesar, so I've added some fresh garlic and tweaked a few other ingredients.
Here it is: super easy to throw together, but it ranks up there with good restaurant salads. It also makes a nice dip for veggies.
Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T (or more?) olive oil
1/2 to 1 tsp. anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed (1 large or 2 medium)
optional - 1/4 to 1/2 t. Dijon mustard
optional - fresh ground pepper to taste
First a tip: I grate the Parmesan first. To avoid a mess on the counter or an extra dirty dish, I place the 1/4 measuring cup in the bottom of my mixing bowl and grate right into that. Sure, some extra will spill into the mixing bowl, but this is a case where exact proportions of ingredients aren't crucial. And a little extra Parm? Never a bad thing!
Then, after dumping and removing the measuring cup, I scoot the grated cheese aside and place all the other ingredients in the void. Whisk those ingredients together, then stir in the cheese. chill for an hour.
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If it’s too bland, add more garlic or parmesan. If it’s too sharp, add more olive oil.
Here is the nutrition data from Good Housekeeping; it includes romaine and croutons:
4 g. protein
13 g. carbs (w/ croutons; it would be far less without, for those doing low carb)
8 g. fat
photo credit: Tara Donne, via GH
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