This recipe was originally published in 2015. Eight years later I can attest that I still adore salad and still prefer my dressing on the side. In fact, it has become something of a running joke in my family. Mom/Michele is ordering at a restaurant. There must be a salad with dressing on the side somewhere in that order. Haha.
Regardless to my dressing placement, this recipe is still my favorite Caesar salad topping. In fact, I will making some on Friday as part of my husband’s birthday menu.
To learn more about this recipe, keep reading.
It is no secret that I adore salad. Give me some fresh greens and interesting toppings, and I am a happy person. Whether it be strawberry, green beans, and almonds; black beans, corn, and peppers; or simple Caesar, I love eating salad. It is so refreshing, healthy, and delightfully crunchy. While I love salad, I don’t enjoy having my dressing on my salad. It removes the crunch and hides the flavors of the veggies.
Of course, I don’t want my salads completely plain. I just am the “dressing on the side” person at your table. A dip of my tines in the dressing and a stab of the salad create a fine mixture of veggies and dressing. I like my dressing to have a flavor that can be detected, even with it being just a tiny amount on my fork. So, what is the solution for that? Use a dressing that is heavy on garlic.
Up until a few years ago, I always kept bottled Caesar dressing on hand. At that point I decided to try and make my own. This required using raw egg yolks (gasp) and anchovies (double gasp). As I dipped my fork and speared my lettuce, I wondered how this would go. It was delightful, almost a bit of a Sam I Am and his dreaded green eggs moment. The anchovies really don’t add a fishy taste, just a nice bit of salt. The raw eggs are fine, unnoticeable. What is most important is the presence of garlic. With this recipe you are sure to keep the vampires at bay.
My hint: Make sure your partner eats the dressing, too. Then your garlicky presence won’t be as noticeable.
To make this salad even more amazing, give these homemade croutons a try.
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 anchovy fillet
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil*
- salt & pepper
- Combine yolk, juice, Worcestershire, anchovy, garlic, & 1 tablespoon olive oil in blender. (I use my Magic Bullet.)
- Blend until smooth. Add more olive oil until dressing reaches the correct flavor & texture.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Use at once or refrigerate.
- *If you prefer a milder dressing, more olive oil may be needed.
