Two out of three ain't bad...

I have always appreciated a satisfying Caesar salad, but as I am sure many of you know there are good and bad one's. It is truly disappointing to receive a "bad" one. The salad's creation is generally attributed to restaurateur Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who operated restaurants in Mexico and the United States. Cardini was living in San Diego but also working in Tijuana where he avoided the restrictions of Prohibition. His daughter Rosa (1928–2003) recounted that her father invented the dish when a Fourth of July 1924 rush depleted the kitchen's supplies. Cardini made do with what he had, adding the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing "by the chef."  There are also multiple different styles of Caesar dressing, some are creamy, some oil based, some have raw egg and some do not. I believe part of the attraction in this salad is the salt factor. I crave salty flavors, and this certainly delivers. The anchovies, Worcestershire, and Parmesan all pack the salt into this flavorful salad. The Caesar dressing that I prepare is oil based (it still produces a creamy effect), and does not contain a raw egg. I find that a tablespoon of mayonnaise suffices nicely in place of the egg. This also creates a slightly longer shelf life. You will never desire bottled Caesar after tasting this recipe. Another element of my salad is grilling the romaine lettuce. Simply take a heart of romaine, slice it down the center, drizzle it with olive oil and cracked pepper then grill it for roughly one minute cut side down. This wilts the lettuce ever so slightly, and supplies it a smokey charred taste that compliments the dressing. I chose to top this delicious salad with grilled flank steak that I marinated in a vinaigrette overnight.

Grilled Romaine Hearts with Caesar Dressing

1 T mayonnaise

1 t Dijon mustard

1 t freshly ground pepper

1 t dry mustard

1 t Worcestershire

juice of 1 lemon

5 anchovy fillets

4 cloves garlic

2 T white vinegar

1 C olive oil

2 hearts of romaine, halved

fresh pepper

olive oil

grated Parmesan cheese

croutons

Put all ingredients except vinegar and oil in a food processor and process until blended. Slowly mix in the oil, then mix in the vinegar. If too thick, add a little water.

Brush the cut side of the romaine hearts with olive oil. Season with cracked pepper. Grill, cut side down for 1-2 min. Roughly chop lettuce, drizzle with dressing, sprinkle cheese and croutons.

If you would like to serve it as I did with flank steak, simply marinate the meat overnight in your favorite Italian vinaigrette and grill until medium.

Until tomorrow...Peace.