Caesar Salads I have known

When was the last time you went to a favorite dining establishment and did not find Caesar Salad on the menu? Not lately I wager. Diners have taken to this like, well, buttermilk to Ranch Dressing. And no wonder. It is a concoction that inspires respect. My first encounter with Caesar Salad was a revelation and since then I have seen, like you, many iterations. Some elegant and wonderful. Some downright laughable. The laughable ones to me are the ones that add ingredients such as peppers, tomatoes and shredded ham slices. And while these latter may be delicious, Caesar they ain't. Just a short while ago, I was in California and found myself at a small spot overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I was feeling peckish but not starving. I spotted Caesar Salad on the menu. It offered a combination of toppings, ranging from salmon to shellfish. I thought it would just hit the spot. It did. I opted to have the salad served without the toppings. It turned out to be a magical presentation and it tasted as good as it looked. Along with some warm rolls, it was the perfect dinner. I could hear the splashing of the waves as I ate. It was truly a memorable dining experience. Here is what the kitchen staff did. They took three slim stalks of young, crisp Romaine lettuce and cut off the tops and bottoms. They stood the Romaine centers on a plate vertically. The leaves were spread very slightly and topped with Caesar dressing. On top of one of the stalks, Kalamata olives were added and on top of another there were almost transparently thin shavings of Parmesan cheese. The third stalk was left plain with its dressing. I am guessing that is where the additional toppings would have been had I ordered those. This, to me, was a perfect entr?e - and with the rolls, a glass of wine, and the roaring of the ocean, I was completely enthralled. Another presentation idea I have used, is also atypical. It involves placing crisped Romaine leaves in a tall pilsner, accompanied by two small dipping dishes: one with the dressing and one with the cheese shavings. This is not served with utensils, so there is no way to eat the salad except by hand. Dipping the leaves first in the dressing and then in the cheese - an enticing way to present and enjoy Caesar salad. An interesting twist on the ubiquitous croutons is to have a crisp toast spread with a white anchovy butter to accompany the salad. Honestly, this is truly delicious even if you are one who orders pizza with everything but anchovies. White anchovies are a delicacy and when mixed with unsalted butter make an offering your guests will not be able to resist. Just don't tell them what it is in advance! Just put 4 anchovies in a food processer with a stick of unsalted butter together with a wisp of Worcestershire sauce. Have individual servings of this available on guests' plates at room temperature together with crisp toasts. The toasts are easily made by placing slices of excellent sandwich bread (I like Pepperidge Farm for this) with crusts removed on a cookie sheet. Let them bake for 8 minutes or so at 300 until lightly golden. Keep an eye on them as they bake. I would like to share with you the recipe I have for classic Caesar Salad. This is the original from which the above variations are derived. Prepared at tableside requires a certain panache and is something your guests will enjoy watching as your dinner party unfolds. A large wooden bowl is de rigueur. You'll need these ingredients at the ready on your small tableside work space: • 1 clove garlic. • 1 egg, boiled for 3 minutes in its shell. • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard. • pinch of salt and pepper. • 4 anchovies. • 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar. • 1/4 cup olive oil. • 3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce. • 3 hearts (inside of head) of romaine lettuce. • pinch of cayenne pepper sauce. • 1 lemon. • Croutons. • Freshly grated parmesan cheese. Step 1. Press the garlic clove to bruise it. Rub the clove around the mixing bowl with a fork or your hand. Then, take it out and throw it away. Step 2. Mix the 1 egg, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper (use your discretion here) in the mixing bowl from the step above. Step 3. Next, mash in 2 of the anchovies, then add the vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper sauce. Stir with a fork. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. Step 4. Add the romaine lettuce leaves to the mixture. Squeeze the juice of half of your whole lemon into the bowl and add the croutons. Step 5. Mix the lettuce and dressing and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and (optional, to taste) the other 2 anchovies, mashed up. Offer additional pepper from your pepper grinder to each guest. —————————— Judge John Kirkendall is a retired Washtenaw County Probate judge. He presently serves on the Elder Law Advisory Board of the Stetson University College of Law. He has taught cooking classes for more than 25 years at various cooking schools in the Ann Arbor area and has himself attended classes at Cordon Bleu and La Varenne in Paris, as well as schools in New York, New Orleans and San Francisco. He is past president of the National College of Probate Judges. He can be reached at Judgejnk@yahoo.com. Published: Wed, Feb 24, 2010

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