Family gatherings in my household have always revolved around food, and for a good reason – everyone in our family has an exceptional culinary talent. So exceptional, in fact, that each family meal becomes an extravagant affair with seconds and thirds being the norm. During my upbringing, I had the pleasure of savoring dishes like my dad's expertly grilled steak, my mom's renowned cornbread dressing and parsley potatoes, my uncle's famous ribs, and my aunt's exceptional Caesar salad.
My aunt's Caesar salad sets itself apart from the typical Caesar salads you might have encountered. When I order a Caesar salad at a restaurant, it often arrives with iceberg lettuce, an abundance of croutons, and a heavy mayo-based dressing. Her version, on the other hand, is in a league of its own. It's crafted with the perfect combination of ingredients, including garlic-infused olive oil, zesty lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and flavorful blue cheese. It's not just another obligatory, healthy side dish; it's a unique culinary experience that has forever altered my perspective on what a salad can truly become.
Salads are often perceived as a simple combination of lettuce, veggies, and your preferred bottled dressing, but my aunt infuses meticulous care into every step of the process. The entire ritual involves a continuous taste-test journey, relying on your taste buds to guide the way. Is it the most straightforward method to create a Caesar salad? Not by a long shot. However, my aunt's approach, marked by patience and a deliberate pace, mirrors how our family typically enjoys meals together: unhurried, with purpose, and without a rush to move on to the next thing.
When I inquired further about her recipe, my aunt revealed that she had been crafting it for over 50 years. "I read a couple of recipes back then and then just went with my instincts."
Earlier this week, I embarked on the adventure of recreating this recipe myself. I had attempted it a time or two in the past, but I needed a refresher. With the holidays just around the corner, it seemed like the perfect moment to prepare this dish and bridge the gap with my family, even from a distance.
What You Will Require:
My aunt emphasizes, "There aren't any strict measurements in this recipe; it's all about adjusting to your taste." Keeping that in consideration, here's the list of ingredients you should collect before embarking on your Caesar salad-making adventure:
- Several cloves of garlic
- 1 cup of olive oil
- Romaine lettuce
- Green leaf lettuce
- 1 egg
- 1 lemon
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Blue cheese
- Parmesan
How my Aunt Creates Her Renowned Caesar Salad
My aunt provided me with these instructions for her Caesar salad. I felt a bit apprehensive because much of this recipe relies on the art of tasting as you go, but I did my best to tap into my family's innate culinary instincts.
To start, you'll need to finely mince several cloves of garlic and infuse them into one cup of olive oil. It's a good idea to do this in advance, allowing the mixture to sit for at least a couple of hours before preparing the salad. The longer it rests, the more robust the flavors will become.
Next, take a fresh, whole head of romaine lettuce, tearing it into bite-sized pieces while removing the tough ribs. My aunt enjoys incorporating a small bunch of green leaf lettuce (a mutual favorite of both my mom and my aunt), so I tore some of that into pieces as well. Then, I combined the two varieties of lettuce.
Once the lettuce is thoroughly combined, beat a raw egg in a separate bowl until it's smooth. Carefully drizzle this beaten egg over the lettuce, using just enough to lightly coat the leaves. The quantity you need will depend on the amount of lettuce and the number of servings you're preparing. My aunt prefers to use her hands for this step but be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before doing so!
This approach involving the raw egg might differ from what you're accustomed to with a Caesar salad, as the raw egg is typically mixed into the dressing in advance. However, this method imparts a delightful richness to the salad. Trust me, it works. And as long as you use pasteurized eggs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assures that Caesar salad dressing with raw eggs is safe to consume. It's recommended to enjoy it within two hours of preparation.
Next, drizzle the infused garlic olive oil sparingly over the leaves, then gently toss them again. If the leaves don't appear adequately coated, add more oil gradually until you achieve the desired coverage.
Once the leaves are sufficiently coated with olive oil, squeeze half of the lemon over them and toss once more. Sprinkle a touch of Worcestershire sauce over the mixture.
Now, it's time for a taste test. Select a few leaves and sample them to ensure a well-balanced combination of oil and lemon. My aunt starts by lightly sprinkling some salt to enhance the flavors. This is where the enjoyable part begins – you get to decide which flavors you want to enhance. It might call for more oil, additional lemon, a bit more Worcestershire sauce, or just a pinch more salt. Experiment and tailor it to your taste preferences.
Once you've achieved your desired flavor balance, sprinkle some cracked pepper to taste over the salad. After that, add as much blue cheese and shredded Parmesan as you prefer.
"Sometimes, I place the cheeses in separate small bowls and pass them at the table, so each guest can customize their portion to their liking," my aunt suggests. "Although, in my opinion, it's at its best when the cheeses are tossed right into the salad."
Lastly, it's time to serve and savor your salad. If your dining habits align with those of my family, you might relish it as we do: alongside buttery parsley potatoes, a succulent cut of red steak, and, of course, a glass of red wine.
Enjoy your meal!