To fuck or to cook?

[Sparklehorse]

Originally Posted by Flinty_McFlint

Ok, anyone out there have a favorite caesar dressing recipe? I'm not a stickler for the traditional, and probably don't want a creamy one--but the recipes out there seem like they interchange raw eggs, coddled eggs, mayo, and lemon juice, lime juice, red wine vinegar, and the level of garlic and anchovies/paste. Just wondering if anyone had a great recipe, otherwise I guess I have to improvise.

Julia and Jacques Cooking At Home has a recipe that Julia Child asserts is "quite close to the original." She says that anchovies are an adulteration.

Julia's Caesar Salad

Yield: 2 or 3 servings

18 to 24 crisp, narrow leaves from the hearts of 2 heads of romaine lettuce, or a package of romaine hearts (about 1 pound)
1 cup Plain Toasted Croutons (separate recipe I can type and post if necessary)
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1/4 cupd or more excellent olive oil
Salt
1 large fresh egg
Freshly ground black pepper
1 whole lemon, halved and seeded
Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan cheese, imported Parmigiano Reggiano only

Special equipment: A large mixing bowl; a small frying pan

Preparing the Salad Components

[More details about lettuce which I am omitting.] Separate the leaves and wash them carefully to keep them whole, roll them loosely in clean towels, and keep refrigerated until serving time.

To flavor the croutons, crush the garlic clove with the flat of a chef's knife, sprinkle on salt, and mince well. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil on the garlic and mash again with the knife, rubbing and pressing to make a soft puree.

Scrape the puree into the frying pan, add another tablespoon of oil, and warm over low-medium heat. Add the croutons and toss for a minute or two to infuse them with the garlic oil, then remove from the heat. (For a milder garlic flavor, you can strain the puree through a small sieve into a pan before adding the extra oil and croutons. Discard the bits of garlic.)

To coddle the egg, bring a small saucepan of water to the simmer. Piece the large end of the egg with a pushpin to prevent cracking, then simmer it for exactly 1 minute.

Mixing and Serving the Caesar

Dress the salad just before serving. Have ready all the dressing ingredients and a salad fork and spoon for tossing.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the romaine leaves and toss to coat, lifting the leaves from the bottom and turning them toward you, so they tumble over like a wave. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper, toss once or twice, then add the lemon juice and several drops of Worcestershire, and then toss again. Taste for seasoning, and add more, if needed.

Crack the egg and drop it right on the romaine leaves, then toss to break it up and coat the leaves. Sprinkle on the cheese, toss briefly, then add the croutons (and the garlicky bits in the pan, if you wish) and toss for the last time, just to mix them into the salad.

Arrange 6 or more leaves in a single layer on individual plates, scatter the croutons all around, and serve.