Caesar Salad

Serves 4 to 6 people

Pre-preparation time 30 minutes

Preparation time: 30 minutes

The hardest part of a Caesar is tearing up the Romaine lettuce into bite-sized bits.  You can use a knife to chop the head into smaller chunks, but be sure the knife is sharp. Use a wooden salad bowl with sloping sides, if you can. But any bowl will do.

• 8 cups of Romaine lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 clove garlic
• A two inch bead of anchovy paste or one anchovy
• 1 egg or 4 ounces of an egg substitute
• 1 cup olive oil
• ½ tablespoon white vinegar
• Juice from ½ small lemon
• 1 teaspoon of dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. First, put the garlic clove in about a half cup of olive oil for 30 minutes to an hour or so to soften it and flavor the oil.
2. Fill a bowl or pan with hot tap water (115 °F or so—hot to the touch) and put the egg into the water to coddle. (Don’t coddle the egg substitute.)
3. Wash and dry the romaine and tear it into small, bite-sized pieces. Put the torn lettuce in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator. You want the lettuce to be crisp and cold.
4. Now proceed to make the dressing. Add one ingredient at a time; don't dump them all in at once. First, squeeze a two inch bead of anchovy paste into the bowl.
5. Use a fork to mash the garlic clove into the bowl with the anchovy paste.
6. Break the coddled egg into the bowl or add the egg substitute and thoroughly beat it until it is well combined.
7. Add the olive oil and thoroughly beat until it is well combined with the egg or egg substitute.
8. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the mixture. Watch out for the seeds. (Here’s a tip – hold the half lemon cut side UP, grabbing it from the top, or from the cut side. That way when you squeeze it the juice squeezes out all around your fingers, but presumably the seeds stay either in the lemon or in your hand.)
9. Thoroughly combine the lemon juice into the mixture, which will thicken slightly.
10. Add the white vinegar and combine.
11. Add the dry mustard and combine.
12. Add the Worcestershire sauce and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
13. Pour the dressing into a container, rinse and dry the salad bowl.
14. Just before serving, take the lettuce out of the refrigerator and put it into the bowl. Add enough dressing to the lettuce and toss until the lettuce is coated to your satisfaction.
15. Throw in the croutons and Parmesan cheese, toss lightly and serve.

The Extra Touch: Grill your favorite protein--chicken, steak, salmon, shrimp or whatever suits your fancy--slice into bite-sized bits and arrange on top of your salad to make it into a great meal. If you want some more color, add chopped tomatoes and/or red peppers.