Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 2eggs, very fresh
• 70 mlolive oil
• 40 g, plus extraParmesan cheese
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 10 mllemon juice
• 1 teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoonDijon mustard
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 3 heads, or 1 largemini romaine lettuce
• 1 teaspooncapers
• 2 slicesbread
• 1 tablespoonolive oil
• 1 chicken breast per person, or 3 prawns per personchicken breast or prawns

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the lettuce

   Wash the romaine lettuce and cut it into large pieces.

2. 2

   Boil the eggs

   Bring a pan of water to the boil. Boil the eggs for just 1 minute, then rinse them under cold water.

3. 3

   Scoop out eggs

   Roughly peel the eggs, then use a spoon to scoop their insides into a bowl.

4. 4

   Blend the dressing

   Blend the eggs with the lemon juice, 70 ml olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, capers and half the Parmesan. The dressing should be creamy rather than too runny.

5. 5

   Fry the bread

   Cut the bread into small pieces and fry them briefly in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Set the croutons aside.

6. 6

   Dress the salad

   Put the lettuce in a large bowl and mix it with the dressing.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Scatter the croutons and remaining Parmesan over the salad and serve.

8. 8

   Add a topping

   Serve with grilled chicken, bacon or shrimp.

9. 9

   Add a topping

   Serve with grilled chicken, bacon or shrimp.

What is Caesar salad?

Caesar salad is an American favourite associated with the restaurant scene in Tijuana, Mexico, where it is generally credited to restaurateur Caesar Cardini. Its familiar combination of crisp lettuce, savoury dressing, Parmesan and croutons makes it a hearty salad rather than a simple side.

This version uses very briefly boiled eggs as the dressing base and adds capers for a briny note. The result is blended until creamy and served with optional grilled chicken, bacon or prawns.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 450 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The bread supplies most of the carbohydrate, while olive oil and Parmesan contribute much of the fat; eggs and Parmesan provide some protein, with chicken, bacon or prawns adding more if included. Balance the plate with a generous portion of lettuce and choose one of the suggested protein toppings.

The dressing ingredients

Eggs: the recipe calls for very fresh eggs and boils them for just 1 minute before scooping out their insides. They form the creamy base of the dressing.

Seasoning: lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, capers, salt, pepper and half the Parmesan are blended with the eggs and oil. Garlic and Dijon mustard are also listed among the ingredients, although the method does not say when to add them.

Getting a creamy dressing

Oil: the recipe uses 70 ml in the dressing and reserves 1 tablespoon for frying the bread. Blend the dressing ingredients until combined, checking that it is creamy rather than very runny.

Texture: if the dressing looks too loose, pause to assess it before tossing it with the lettuce. A creamy coating should cling to the leaves rather than pool heavily at the bottom of the bowl.

Crisp lettuce and croutons

Romaine: wash the leaves and cut them into large pieces, as directed. Drying them well before dressing helps the creamy mixture coat the leaves instead of slipping off.

Bread: cut the slices into small pieces and fry them briefly in the measured oil. Set them aside until the salad is dressed so they keep some of their contrast.

Finishing the salad

Parmesan: blend half into the dressing and scatter the rest over the dressed lettuce with the croutons. Add extra Parmesan at the table if you like a more savoury finish.

Toppings: grilled chicken, bacon or shrimp are suggested accompaniments. The ingredient list gives a chicken breast or three prawns per person as options.

Timing and serving

The stated total time is 25 minutes, including preparing the lettuce, boiling the eggs, blending the dressing and frying the bread. The listed method does not give a separate cooking time for the optional meat or seafood.

Toss the lettuce shortly before serving, then add the croutons and remaining Parmesan. This keeps the bread from sitting in the dressing for too long.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use very fresh eggs, as specified in the recipe.
• Keep the eggs in boiling water for just 1 minute before rinsing them with cold water.
• Cut the lettuce into large pieces so it stays substantial in the bowl.
• Fry the bread briefly and set it aside before dressing the lettuce.
• Toss the salad close to serving time to help the croutons stay crisp.
• The method does not specify when to use the listed garlic and Dijon mustard.

Variations

• Add chicken: serve with a grilled chicken breast per person, as suggested.
• Add prawns: serve with three prawns per person for a seafood option.
• Use bacon: follow the method's suggested bacon topping in place of chicken or shrimp.
• Extra Parmesan: finish with more cheese for a stronger savoury flavour.
• Larger lettuce: use one large romaine instead of three mini heads.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overboiling the eggs: keep them in boiling water for only 1 minute, then rinse with cold water.
• Runny dressing: blend until creamy rather than leaving it too loose.
• Soggy croutons: set the fried bread aside and scatter it over the salad just before serving.
• Dressing wet leaves: wash the lettuce and dry it well before mixing.
• Unevenly dressed leaves: mix the lettuce thoroughly with the dressing in a large bowl.
• Forgetting listed ingredients: garlic and Dijon mustard are in the ingredient list, but the supplied method does not say when to add them.

How to store

Store leftover dressed salad in a covered container in the fridge and eat it within a day; the lettuce and croutons will soften. For best texture, keep the dressing and croutons separate from the lettuce until serving.

Frequently asked questions