Cesar Salad: The original recipe

Hello, loyal readers of Paulina Cocina! How wonderful it is to be able to tell you about one of the most popular salads in the world: the Caesar Salad . But how could it not be? It has everything we love, the dressing is amazing, and we can even add more to it. It's beautiful!

If we go out and ask on the street (not right now because it's raining here), most people will probably misunderstand the origin of the name, where it's from, and what ingredients the original contains. How can it be that we know so little about something that's so widely consumed?

Because that's precisely the incredible thing about popular culture. Each place appropriates it, interprets it, and creates its own folklore. But it's also good to know the "official" information, so that's why we're here today. Ready? Let's begin...

About Caesar Salad

I'm sorry for busting myths. Santa Claus is the parents, and Caesar salad is Mexican : yes, as you read, Mexican. That is, it's Caesar salad, not Caesar. It's named after chef César Cardini . Caesar sounds like Caesar in Rome. Said by a New Yorker. And it has croutons . It also sounds like Caesars Palace Hotel. Las Vegas. And Las Vegas can only sound like Elvis.

So you end up with a salad profile in your head that isn't the original. Because in the mind of each of us, there's a story about what we eat. Even if we've never thought about it. Why we make the desperate decision to write Caesar, mentally pronounce Ca-e-sar, and say Císar is an excellent home-school question. This topic is coming, guys.

Start practicing your answers; the important thing is that you connect the authors well.

Origin of the salad: Who invented it and when?

The exact origin of the Caesar salad is a matter of debate, but it's commonly attributed to Italian chef Cesare Cardini. The best-known story is that the salad was improvised in 1924, during a holiday weekend in Tijuana, Mexico.

When Cardini's restaurant ran out of ingredients and had to use what he had on hand, the resulting salad was so delicious that it quickly became popular and a hit at his restaurant and beyond.

As always in gastronomy, there are other versions and stories about the origin of the Caesar salad , and some claim it was created by other chefs or that it already existed before Cardini popularized it. However, the name "Caesar" became associated with the salad because of this chef's name.

Today, Caesar salad has become a classic and beloved dish in international cuisine, and can be found in numerous restaurants and home kitchens around the world.

What does the original Caesar salad contain?

Caesar salad recipes and presentations can vary, and some modern versions may include additional ingredients such as grilled chicken, shrimp, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cucumber , etc. However, these ingredients are the basic elements that define the essence of the traditional Caesar salad.

• Romaine lettuce: The base of the salad, providing texture and freshness.
• Caesar Dressing: A creamy mixture that includes ingredients such as olive oil, egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovies, lemon juice, vinegar, and Parmesan cheese.
• Toasted bread or croutons: Add a crunchy touch to the salad.
• Parmesan cheese: Used to give it a salty flavor and a touch of umami.
• Black pepper: Used to season the salad to taste.

Is Caesar salad healthy?

Caesar salad can be a relatively healthy option, but it can also be quite caloric and high in fat, depending on how it's prepared. The benefits come from the lettuce and other fresh ingredients that provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, keep this in mind:

• Caesar dressing traditionally contains egg yolk and Parmesan cheese , which gives it its creamy texture and distinctive flavor. These ingredients can increase the amount of fat and calories in the salad.
• Croutons and other additional ingredients, such as grilled chicken or shrimp, can also add calories and fat to the salad.
• The sodium content can be high , especially due to the anchovies and Parmesan cheese.

To make a healthier version of Caesar salad , choose to reduce the amount of dressing used, use low-fat dressings, or consider healthier ingredient alternatives.

About the Caesar dressing

Caesar dressing is also attributed to Caesar Cardini, the same Italian chef who is said to have invented the Caesar salad. The original Caesar dressing recipe contains ingredients such as olive oil, egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovies, lemon juice, vinegar, and Parmesan cheese.

The egg yolk and Parmesan cheese give it its creamy texture and distinctive flavor. These ingredients can increase the fat and calorie content of the Caesar salad. However, over time, various variations and adaptations of the Caesar dressing have emerged.

The good life after a Caesar

Oh, my goodness, Caesar salad is delicious. The original doesn't have chicken, but the chicken Caesar salad is just as common, if not more so. Some advantages of this easy Caesar salad recipe:

• YES, it is a salad for lunch or dinner.
• It shows you that anchovies are great friends with other meats. Hold on to anchovies.
• It's enough to make dinner for your friends.
• It allows you to say, very lightly: “I ate a salad today.”

I'll tell you that not all chicken Caesar salads include bacon. I added it, obviously.

And, to top it all off, not all of them have eggs. The fat lady got in there too. Remember that you can see a list of my chicken recipes .

Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe

Yields: 2 – 3 servings

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 chicken breast
• 1 thick bacon
• 1 piece of Parmesan cheese
• 1 lettuce (I used: mixed lettuce, purple and French)
• 2 eggs
• 2 slices of sandwich bread (pan lactal)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• Half -lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 3 anchovies
• 2 tbsp. of grated Parmesan
• Salt, pepper and oil

How to make Caesar salad step by step

1. Wash the lettuce and cut it into large pieces by hand.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and once boiling, place the eggs in it. Let it boil for exactly 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stop the cooking process by placing the eggs in cold water. Set aside.
3. Cut the bacon into small pieces and place it in a hot pan with nothing underneath. Cook until crispy. The bacon will render the fat, so we don't put anything underneath. Set aside.
4. Cut the chicken breast into strips about 1 cm thick. Cook them in a pan with a little oil until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.
5. Trim the crusts from the bread and cut into small squares. Make the croutons by placing them in a hot pan or baking until golden brown and crispy on both sides. If you'd like to learn more about this process or want to make them flavored, watch this video on croutons .
6. Caesar sauce: Place the anchovies and garlic and mash until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the mustard and combine. Add the anchovy and garlic paste until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and gradually add the oil, whisking vigorously until thickened. Finally, add the grated Parmesan cheese. This process can be done with a mixer, like when making mayonnaise... or you can buy store-bought Caesar sauce, but it really doesn't compare to homemade.
7. Assemble the salad: Place the lettuce on a platter, then top with the chicken, bacon, and croutons. Drizzle with the Caesar dressing.

And here's my Caesar salad with chicken (so delicious, dude)