I got this recipe from this wonderful forum many years ago. I think it's perfect.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Salad Dressing, Caesar

Recipe By : TGW - Marilyn
Serving Size : 4
Categories : Salads Sauces & Dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
few grinds freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or 1 egg yolk)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese -- freshly grated
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon anchovy paste(or 2 anchovies,minced)
1 clove garlic -- minced
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup extra-light olive oil

In a bowl with a whisk (or with a blender or food processor), whisk together all ingredients except the olive oil until well combined. While still whisking, slowly drizzle the olive oil in until well combined and thickened. Refrigerate until ready to serve over romaine lettuce with freshly shaved or grated parmesan cheese and croutons.

Croutons: Cut 1/2 loaf French or Italian bread into bite-size cubes. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat along with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, a few grinds of pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, and a pinch of thyme; add to oil in skillet and toss well. Continue to toast, tossing often until croutons are lightly browned and as crisp as desired.

MY NOTES : This is delicious!! Be sure to use Extra Light olive oil - I made with regular and it was not as good. Also, I like using anchovies rather than the paste and I use mayo not egg yolk. A 12 oz. bag of Romaine (3 heads) feeds 6 people perfectly. I doubled the dressing but didn't use it all for six.

Too much work. Here's the classic dressing. One egg (OK, if your are paranoid, you can use fake egg product, or buy pasteurized eggs), 1/3 cup good EVOO, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 clove garlic, crushed, maybe 1/4 or 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (to taste), salt (I only use kosher salt) and fresh ground pepper.

Mix the dressing, pour on torn romaine leaves and then grate good parmesan all over it, the more the better. I would guess at least 1/8 cup.

How easy is that?

Good croutons are also essential. This is what I use for 1 head of romaine for the two of us. Double recipe as necessary, altho I only used 3 eggs for 4x recipe.

Caesar dressing has to have anchovies to have the particular taste of the dressing we've come to expect, even if legend has it that the original didn't. Paprikash, yours sounds perfect.

My favourite Cesar Salad. I've been making this salad this way since 1979. Homemade croutons are the crowning touch to a great Cesar Salad.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Cesar Salad
===========
adapted from Pat Davis Cooking School
1 large head of Romaine Lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces
1 large clove of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. or more to taste Dijon Mustard
salt
pepper
Splash of Worchestershire sauce
anchovy fillets
1/4 cup Roquefort cheese
(substitute Maytag or another high quality blue cheese)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 coddled egg
red wine vinegar
fresh squeezed lemon juice
Homemade Croutons

Croutons

2 or 3 slices of French or Italian bread 3/4 inch thick, crusts removed
1 garlic clove
olive oil

Add garlic to salad bowl (wooden works best) sprinkle with salt and use a fork to crush garlic. Turn into a paste. Add coddled egg and mix. Add Dijon mustard and mix well.Add anchovy fillets and crush with fork. Drizzle in oil a bit at a time, until the oil is absorbed by the egg mixture. Add red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Season with pepper. Add salt to taste. Add some lemon juice and mix. Toss Romaine lettuce with dressing and add crumbled Roquefort Cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan and add croûtons.

Croûtons
Rub each slice of bread with crushed garlic clove. Cut into cubes Heat oil and toss the cubes. Make sure they are well coated. Turn often until nicely toasted. Place in a low oven to finish toasting and crisping. Remove from oven.

(Optional: Toss warm croutons with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.)

We like the taste of the anchovies but not chunks of them so I usually strain out the solids. You can omit that step if you want. I do use raw egg because I get them from a source who uses no animal products in their feed.

CAESAR SALAD

1 large clove of garlic, crushed
6 to 8 anchovy fillets
1/4 tsp. prepared mustard
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 medium head romaine lettuce
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup garlic croutons

In small bowl, crush together garlic, anchovies, mustard and Worcestershire sauce with a fork until anchovies are mashed into a chunky paste. Add lemon juice, oil and egg and whisk until well combined. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour.

Meanwhile clean romaine and break into bite sized pieces in salad bowl. Chill. Gate parmesan and cover.

Pour dressing through tea strainer, stirring with spoon to get pureed part of anchovies to pour through. Discard solids.

Pour dressing over romaine and toss to coat. Add cheese, pepper and croutons and toss again.

This is my favourite recipe.

Caesar Dressing From Cut

1 Egg yolk
1 tsp Capers
1 tsp Parsley
4 tsp Lemon juice
3 Anchovies
1 TBSP Parmesan cheese
1/2 TBSP Minced Garlic
20 drops Worcestershire sauce
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
300 milliliters Canola oil
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar
Enough water to thin to desired consistency if required. NOTE: I never have to add water.

Mix all ingredients in blender (except for oil, water and balsamic),mix for 1 minute.

Add the oil slowly to obtain a creamy consistency.
Add the balsamic vinegar. If needed, thin with water to the desired consistency.

NOTE : This is how they served it in the restaurant. I simply serve with croutons and shaved Parmesan.

Place baby romaine leaves on plate, top with crispy pork belly pieces,homemade garlic and herb croutons and roasted cherry tomato halves and shaves of grana padano.

Drizzel dressing over the salad.

I have used this recipe posted on recipezaar and it is really good.

DRESSING
2 anchovy fillets (or to taste)
2 fresh garlic cloves (or to taste)
1 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing Hellman's is best)
1/4 cup half-and-half cream or milk
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (Hellman's Dijonnaise is best!)
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (or to taste) (optional)
buttermilk or half-and-half, for thinning
Directions
1In a small 2-cup mini food processor, process/mince the anchovy fillets and garlic together until finely minced (do this together and firstly, otherwise it will not get minced properly with the other ingredients).
2Add in the remaining ingredients, and process for 30 seconds, or more until well mixed.
3Adjust seasonings to taste.
4Thin with buttermilk (or milk) for a thinner consistency if desired.
5Store in fridge, covered in a glass container for 3 or more hours before using (the flavors become stronger when left in the fridge for a longer time).

Here is a link that might be useful: Ceasar salad dressing

I am such a traditionalist.... OK, use anchovies if you wish, but why the dijon mustard, canola oil, mayo, buttermilk or vinegar? Caesar is a simple dressing, and I just do not understand the long list of ingredients. Try the pure and simple dressing and compare.

Boy, they all sound good. I think I will try sushipup's first because it is the simplest. I bought a head of romaine from our local farmer's market and I can't wait to try the Caesar salad.

Ruthanna, yours is closest to the classic recipe we prepare table side in our restaurant in wooden bowls that are seasoned and only use for Caesar Salad. Here's the technique we use:

Put two Garlic Cloves in a wooden bowl, using two forks crush the Garlic into a paste. Add 4 Anchovie fillets and crush again with the forks. Add two egg yolks. Combine all. Add the juice of one fresh Lemon and stir to combine, add about 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce, more to taste, two tablespoons Dijon Mustard, several tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar and a goodly grinding of Fresh Pepper. Whisk in enough EVOO to make a nicely emulsified dressing. Toss with washed and torn Romaine, Homemade Croutons and a freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!

What sushipup said.

Amen.

Jim

I made it recently for the first time and used the Joy of Cooking recipe. Which I don't have memorized, but it was very much like skeip's. If you chop the anchovies fine enough, they really do disintegrate into the dressing with no chunks.

It also called for grating a boiled egg in at the end, which I have to say made it seem much heartier than most Caesar salads I have had...more like it really could substitute for a meal. It was heavenly...

Caesar salad is interesting. It was invented by a restaurant owner in Tiajuana. The original was made with whole leaves of romaine which were eaten as finger food.

There was a time when Caesar salad was made from scratch at table side in many restauratns. It has been many years since I have had it that way. Even then, the lettuce was chopped, not whole. That combination of dressing ingredients is still a favorite of mine.

Jim

That's an interesting spelling for Tijuana - it would mean "Aunt Jane" or something like that. Most non-Hispanic Americans would mispronounce it that way, however, possibly because the aspirated Spanish "J" is difficult. I've been corrected several times in Mexico, but I finally got the "J" sound down. If you go to Mexico, you've been forewarned!

I found Marilyn's recipe here a few years ago (You may know her as Danain, I think) and made my own slight variations to it - basically I just increased the olive oil, mustard, and Parmesan:

Caesar Salad Dressing
2 tablespoon anchovy paste (or 4 anchovies minced)
1 coddled egg*
1 large clove garlic, or two medium ones
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients except the olive oil and Parmesan cheese until well combined. While still blending, slowly drizzle the olive oil in until well combine and thickened. Pour into a container and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Serve over romaine lettuce with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese and croûtons.

To make croûtons, cut sourdough or Italian bread into half inch thick slices and spread one side with garlic butter. Lightly toast the bread in a toaster oven. When the toast is somewhat cool, spread the other side with garlic butter (or plain butter or EVOO), and cut into cubes. You can finish toasting the croûtons on a baking sheet in the oven or in a skillet at low heat, tossing every few minutes. I put a lid on the skillet when I toss the croûtons.

Like Ann, I believe it is very crucial to make your own croûtons. The whole recipe is extremely quick and easy, despite the number of ingredients. After all, the blender does all the work. I've tried simpler recipes, and this one has become my favorite by far, and I make it fairly often. Generally I do not bother to coddle the egg, but you can if you are afraid of raw eggs. I think the lime juice takes care of it, however. I also switched to EVOO, simply because I have so much of it, but it does give the dressing an even more peppery flavor. I tend to like that, now that I'm used to it.

Lars

Skeip, I used to supervise the dining room at a local country club. We did tableside Caesar Salad almost exactly as you described. Only difference was we coddled the egg.

It was fabulous! I haven't made it that way in a long time. Think I'll put it on the menu very soon!

I've never had mayo or blue cheese on a Caesar. Nor capers, come to think of it. There are sure a lot of varitions, and they all sound good! (Well, except for blue cheese, only because I don't like it! LOL)

Linda

Thanks for the correction, Lars. There was something slightly nagging about that spelling as I wrote it. But I carelessly let it go.

Jim

Here's the history of the salad. I am indeed a traditionalist, and won't ever change my ways! ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Caesar's salad

I'm with Helene on this one. I've been using Julia Childs recipe/method for years. I don't have an issue with the coddled eggs.

Having said that I did make the recipe that Sharon posted from Cut for one of our cookalongs or virtual dinners. Loved it.

There are still a few places that do the table side prep. Makes it all that more special and good.

David