Anchovy

CAESAR SALAD/REDUX

by:
May 14, 2010
4.5
4 Ratings
CAESAR SALAD/REDUX
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

Years ago, during the summer after college graduation, I worked at a fancy restaurant in San Francisco (until the union caught up with me) and I made flaming desserts and Caesar salads at the table. The ingredients were all on my cart ready to mix...a rolling mis en place. Nowadays, I make a Caesar with all my own fresh ingredients and the method is basically the same. This Caesar recipe is true to the original (however, Chef C did not use anchovies but I do). My addition to the tradition is my version of "Recipe Redux". It is great as a first course or appetizer. —dymnyno

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 egg ,coddled
  • 1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
  • juice of a lemon
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • 4 flat anchovies, (I use white anchovies)
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, more if you prefer and some parmesan cheese curled with a peeler
  • rare roast beef,4 large slices (about 5'x7') deli sliced thin.
  • black pepper
  • 3 stalks of Romaine lettuce hearts
Directions
  1. To coddle an egg; gently put an egg in boiling water for exactly 60 seconds and remove immediately. Set aside.
  2. I use a large wooden bowl and a heavy silver fork to mix the ingredients. I suppose you can use a food processor and when you get to the olive oil part, just slowly add the oil. I do not use any salt in the dressing because anchovies and Worcestershire sauce and parmesan add enough salt .
  3. In a large wooden bowl add the anchovies and start to break up with the fork. Add the fresh lemon juice and continue breaking up the ingredients.
  4. Add a few drops (about 1/2 tsp) of Worcestershire Sauce and mix with the fork, pressing to break up the anchovies and mix with the sauce.
  5. Add the minced garlic and continue to make the emulsion.
  6. Add the coddled egg and break up with the back of the fork, continuing to create a creamy emulsion.
  7. SLOWLY add the olive oil in a very thin drizzle . The ingredients will really become a smooth emulsion, with bits of anchovy.
  8. Add a few grinds of fresh black pepper.
  9. To prepare the romaine: Cut off the bottom. Cut the central rib off . Cut the leaf in half lengthwise a couple of times.
  10. Toss the lettuce with the dressing very carefully so the leaves are not broken.
  11. Add the grated parmesan and toss again. (gently)
  12. Spread out a large round rare roast beef slice. Fill the slice with some salad and roll up like a cigar. Roll as tightly as you can without tearing the meat. Then trim for appearance. Cut in half to make two rolls.
  13. Serve with a parmesan curl or stick on top for garnish. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
  14. Serve with the toasted baguette slice as garnish.
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10 Reviews

boulangere
boulangere May 1, 2011
This has catering tray written all over it. Beautiful reinterpretation!
 
friendlyoaks
friendlyoaks May 18, 2010
Your dressing really hits the mark. And I appreciate the description of how to coddle an egg, which is so simple I can stop considering the use of pre-pasteurized eggs.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno May 18, 2010
It is sooo easy!!!
 
pierino
pierino May 15, 2010
I do love the addition of the rolled roast beef too.
 
dymnyno
dymnyno May 18, 2010
Thank you!!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames May 14, 2010
Do you add the white of the coddled egg? Your photo of the plated rolls is gorgeous, by the way!! So inviting, so elegant and mmmmmmm, so tasty looking!! ;o)
 
dymnyno
dymnyno May 18, 2010
I add whatever rolls out of the egg when I crack it open...I am not a big fan of the uncooked white of an egg .
 
pierino
pierino May 14, 2010
Outstanding! Right down to the "coddled egg"; you'll find it in mine if I can make deadline. This recipe is classic '60's cooking. I know because I research this stuff. More soon...
 
dymnyno
dymnyno May 14, 2010
Thanks Pierino! Are you the official food52 Caesar Salad police?
 
pierino
pierino May 14, 2010
No ma'am. Yours truly aka Mr. Smarty Pants has no official role whatsoever and tends to be suspicious of authority figures such as cops and nuns. That said, we are Old School in many ways. We still love dark restaurant bars and lounges with banquette seating and so on, even though when we visit them we are usually drinking nothing stronger than club soda. At least in the day time. There is typically no single "right" way to revisit a classic, but there are at least a million wrong ones.