0 ITEMS IN CART 
CAESAR SALAD TWO WAYS
02/15/18 — Heydon Hatcher
Recipe and Photos by Megan Winfrey
A good Caesar salad is a true thing of beauty. I'll happily scarf down just about any Caesar salad - boxed, buffet, I'm not picky - but made with fresh, quality ingredients, that simple iconic salad becomes a work of culinary art.
Any Italian restaurant worth its salt will have a Caesar salad on the menu, which is why I will always order one at a new place. In my experience, when that Caesar salad is really really good, the rest of the meal will be too.
Surprisingly enough, making a restaurant quality caesar at home is simple. The secrets are anchovies and lots and lots of lemon. If the thought of anchovies grosses you out, I implore you to give them a try! You've certainly ingested anchovies without knowing it, as they are a key ingredient in many dressings, sauces, and soups. They bring a sharp, salty bite and an umami flavor that is both slightly fishy and earthy. Start with anchovy paste, and pretty soon you'll be eating anchovies out of the can...if you're anything like me. Also vital to the perfect caesar is fresh, crisp, organic romaine - which is where our CSA share brings it all together.
![]()
Caesar Salad Two Ways
For both salads, start by making the dressing.
![]()
FRESH:
Wash and chop the romaine and lay it out to dry, or dry with a cloth as much as possible. In a medium-large bowl, add the romaine and any add-ins you like such as grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, tofu, or croutons.
Add about 2 tbs. of Caesar dressing and toss thoroughly, so everything has an even coating of dressing.
Top with more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and anchovy fillets (unless that's not your bag)
![]()
GRILLED:
Prepare your grill by cleaning the grates. You don't want last weekends BBQ to taint the flavors of the delicate romaine.
Light the grill and heat to about 350 degrees.
Gather bunches of romaine, still attached at the base, and drizzle with olive oil.
Place on the grill with direct access to the grates. Keep an eye on them the whole time, rotating to get an even char on each side.
Once the romaine is slightly charred all around, pull off the grill and onto a large serving platter.
Squeeze a couple fresh lemons over the whole thing, a generous shake of sea salt, and big drizzles of the Caesar dressing. Last, top with another layer of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Toss to coat.
I like to eat this salad by grabbing the base of the romaine with my fingers and taking in the whole bunch in about two bites. Of course, you could put a few bunches on a plate and cut into it with a knife and fork, like a civilized person.
![]()
A good Caesar salad is a true thing of beauty. I'll happily scarf down just about any Caesar salad - boxed, buffet, I'm not picky - but made with fresh, quality ingredients, that simple iconic salad becomes a work of culinary art.
Any Italian restaurant worth its salt will have a Caesar salad on the menu, which is why I will always order one at a new place. In my experience, when that Caesar salad is really really good, the rest of the meal will be too.
Surprisingly enough, making a restaurant quality caesar at home is simple. The secrets are anchovies and lots and lots of lemon. If the thought of anchovies grosses you out, I implore you to give them a try! You've certainly ingested anchovies without knowing it, as they are a key ingredient in many dressings, sauces, and soups. They bring a sharp, salty bite and an umami flavor that is both slightly fishy and earthy. Start with anchovy paste, and pretty soon you'll be eating anchovies out of the can...if you're anything like me. Also vital to the perfect caesar is fresh, crisp, organic romaine - which is where our CSA share brings it all together.
Caesar Salad Two Ways
For both salads, start by making the dressing.
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
- 1 tsp. anchovy paste
- Zest & juice of 1 whole lemon
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire
- 1 cup mayonnaise, preferably organic or homemade
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Sea salt & ground black pepper
FRESH:
Wash and chop the romaine and lay it out to dry, or dry with a cloth as much as possible. In a medium-large bowl, add the romaine and any add-ins you like such as grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, tofu, or croutons.
Add about 2 tbs. of Caesar dressing and toss thoroughly, so everything has an even coating of dressing.
Top with more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and anchovy fillets (unless that's not your bag)
GRILLED:
Prepare your grill by cleaning the grates. You don't want last weekends BBQ to taint the flavors of the delicate romaine.
Light the grill and heat to about 350 degrees.
Gather bunches of romaine, still attached at the base, and drizzle with olive oil.
Place on the grill with direct access to the grates. Keep an eye on them the whole time, rotating to get an even char on each side.
Once the romaine is slightly charred all around, pull off the grill and onto a large serving platter.
Squeeze a couple fresh lemons over the whole thing, a generous shake of sea salt, and big drizzles of the Caesar dressing. Last, top with another layer of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Toss to coat.
I like to eat this salad by grabbing the base of the romaine with my fingers and taking in the whole bunch in about two bites. Of course, you could put a few bunches on a plate and cut into it with a knife and fork, like a civilized person.
