I’m thinking Caesar Salad is one of the most common salads ever made in Canada. Well, it certainly is one of my family’s favorite. My husband likes when his salads are really garlicy. I’m a little more reserved. Whatever your preference, Caesar Salad is a fantastic salad to serve at camp, at a BBQ or as the main course with a side of grilled chicken.
Growing up, my Caesar salad was made with imitation bacon bits, a bottle of Kraft dressing and a bag of store bought croutons. Sure there’s absolutely nothing with that in a pinch, but oh the possibilities! At the very least, I decided to make my own salad dressing. It may not be a true Caesar salad dressing recipe as it does not use raw eggs nor will you find anchovies in this recipe. I love it all the more for these reasons. One batch of this homemade Caesar salad dressing is good for at least two large salads, or more, depending on how generous you are coating the lettuce.
Once you have your dressing ready, the sky is the limit with how you’re going to assemble this salad.
Firstly: the romaine lettuce. This is usually pretty standard. (I think? Any one ever use something different?) Tear it, cut it, grill it. Whichever method you prefer. Some people cut their head of lettuce in half and serve it up on a plate. I could never do that to a guest. Make a person use a knife to eat their salad? Well, maybe if I was in a less then pleasant mood. But I’m also told, it’s all in the presentation.
My three other mandatory ingredients in a Caesar salad include croutons (of some sort), parmesan cheese (extra, sprinkled on top) and of course BACON! Now growing up, my mom preferred to use imitation bacon bits. If I know I’m going to be serving Caesar salad to guests, I’ll precook some bacon so it’s ready for the salad bowl. I’ve recently been introduced to Epicure’s Smokey Bacon Topper. Yum-O. When I’m looking for a short cut, this is the way I go. It’s tiny bursts of bacon flavor in each bite. And get this?? It’s made from soy bacon so it’s actually vegetarian friendly!!
My last little secret for my Caesar salad is I don’t use regular croutons. Instead, I reach for a bag of Twistos. My friend Kerri told me about this little secret. I love it because Twistos are light and crunchy, but not as crunchy as the typical crouton. I guess if I made homemade croutons, I wouldn’t have that problem. However, until I master that skill, I will continue to reach for a bag of Twistos. For those willing to try making your own croutons, Killing Thyme Eat-Zine has a lovely tutorial.
Eggless Caesar Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon garlic , chopped (more or less to your preference)
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup parmesan cheese , grated
- 1/4 cup olive oil (more or less to your preference)
Instructions
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Combine all the ingredients in a small food processor. Or I use a silver bullet, like what I make my smoothies in. (just wash well afterwards) Allow the machine to spin for at least 2-3 minutes, until the dressing is well combined. Do a quick taste test to see if you wish to add more garlic. Drizzle additional olive oil into the mixture if you wish to thin out the dressing.
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Dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. (like a mason jar)
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