Caesar Salad My Way

Yes, it’s true. I do put mayonnaise ~ just a little ~ in my Caesar salad dressing. Together with a dollop of mustard it takes the place of the coddled egg.

It's not the idea of raw, or almost-raw egg that bothers me. I've eaten plenty of raw eggs over the years---in mousses and semifreddi and other frozen desserts. When I was little one of my favorite "nourishing" morning treats was egg yolk beaten with sugar and a drop of milk, which my mother or one of my aunts would make on occasion for my sister and me. But when it comes to Caesar salad, I just don't care for the slick way the egg coats the Romaine lettuce. So years ago I devised a dressing recipe that omits the egg (thought what is mayonnaise, really, but egg plus fat?).

The original recipe for Caesar salad is said to have been created on the fly back in 1924 by restaurateur Caesar Cardini, who owned several establishments in Tijuana, Mexico. He threw the salad together on a busy July 4 weekend at one of his restaurants, after the kitchen ran out of all its other main dish offerings. At some point, a clever cook added anchovy to the mix. I love anchovies and so I wouldn't dream of leaving them out, even though they are not part of the "original" recipe.

I also put radicchio in my Caesar salad. The red leaves add color, crunch, and a welcome bitter note. At our house, we serve Caesar salad as a one-dish dinner, topped with grilled chicken breast or sliced flank steak.

CAESAR SALAD MY WAY
Makes 4 main-course servings or 8 sides

Ingredients

For the croutons
2 cups cubed Italian bread (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
4 best-quality imported Italian or Spanish anchovy fillets in olive oil, coarsely chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of oil from the anchovies
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon regular or low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad
2 heads romaine lettuce or 3 large romaine hearts, washed and torn into large pieces
1 head radicchio di Treviso or radicchio di Chioggia, washed and torn into large pieces
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon (3 to 4 tablespoons)
1 or 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce (about 1 teaspoon)
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1 ounce)
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the croutons
1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Toss the bread cubes with the oil and pepper on the baking sheet so the cubes are evenly coated. Bake, stirring once or twice, for 15 minutes or until evenly browned and crisp. Let cool to room temperature.

For the dressing:
1. Stir together the salt and garlic in a small bowl to form a paste. Add the anchovies and their oil, the mustard and mayonnaise; whisk to combine. Whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream, to form a thick and emulsified dressing.

To assemble the salad:
1. Place the lettuce and radicchio leaves in a large mixing bowl. Pour the oil over them and toss to coat evenly.

2. Pour the lemon juice over the leaves and toss to coat, then add the Worcestershire sauce, cheese and a generous grinding of pepper; toss to combine.

3. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl. Top with croutons and serve.