How to Make Caesar Salad ♥

For cooks, the possibilities for virgin culinary experiences are endless. The first roast chicken, the handmade pasta, the first pizza at home, the first pie crust -- and now for me, the first Caesar salad.

For all the times I've raved about vegetables with anchovies (asparagus with anchovies? cauliflower with anchovies? roasted peppers with anchovies? slow-roasted tomato and lamb stew with anchovies?) it's no surprise that this salad left me half speechless, with strength only to beg, "Will you pass the salad, please?" All that goodness in 15 minutes flat. Call me Caesar's bride.

I kinda sorta almost followed a recipe or two, well except that they called for up to a cup of olive oil and I used only two tablespoons -- still, this felt perfectly balanced to me, maybe a tad tart but not unpleasingly.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES The Recipe Box as a few green salads and homemade salad dressings. But now that seminal Caesar has happened, can seminal Green Goddess be far behind?

FROM GREAT FOOD BLOGS
The Accidental Hedonist ... the History of Caesar Salad
Fresh Approach Cooking ... Caesar Salad
Traveler's Lunchbox ... Dragon's Breath Caesar Salad

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CAESAR SALAD

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Serves 4 (and dressing leftover for another evening)

2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 egg (if you don't eat raw eggs, don't!)
1 teaspoon coarse Dijon mustard
4 anchovies (don't even think about skipping these! without anchovies it might be salad dressing but it's not Caesar salad dressing)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt if needed

Romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
A one-inch square of Parmesan, grated (enough for 4 - 6 salads)
Freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the olive oil til smooth. If you can, drizzle the dressing through the opening, letting it incorporate slowly. (I used the food processor attachment of an immersion blender so just tossed it in all at once.) Taste and season.

Toss greens with 1 tablespoon dressing per serving. Top with Parmesan and toss again. Top with pepper and serve immediately.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving (using 1 tablespoon dressing): 70 Cal (62% from Fat, 22% from Protein, 16% from Carb); 4 g Protein; 5 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 3 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; NetCarb2; 86 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 155 mg Sodium; 30 mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 1 point