StoneGable's Caesar Salad

I like to start the new year with a January menu that is mostly soup and salad.  It helps get us back to a healthy, balanced diet after so much holiday over indulgence. I've found so many great soup recipes on the blogs I regularly visit that I could make a new soup every day of the month and have dozens left over. And there is no shortage of creative, healthy salads recipes either. I bookmarked this fantastic Caesar dressing when Yvonne at  StoneGable  first posted it several months ago and finally prepared it last week when it was again on her weekly menu list, and I have to tell you that we think it's the best! It's creamy and lemony and coats romaine leaves perfectly. The anchovies add so much flavor and no fishy taste whatsoever and are crucial to the richness of the dressing, so don't leave them out.

I doubled the recipe and made enough dressing to freeze in an ice cube try so I would have meal size portions to use in future salads.  Store in a zip lock bag and thaw as needed.  How easy is that!

If you haven't met Yvonne yet I hope you will visit her and say hello.  Her camera skills are enviable and she sets a table that will knock your socks off.  I've tried many of her recipes and they never disappoint.  She is a gracious hostess who will always welcome you with open arms. 

StoneGable's Caesar Dressing

2 large garlic cloves

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

4 anchovy fillets - don't skip this!

juice of 1 lemon

(Yvonne uses 2 because she likes it lemony)

1/2 - 2/3 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil

coddled egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute

(If you visit StoneGable Yvonne will give you direction

for this quick and easy procedure)

freshly ground black pepper

To Make Dressing:

Put the garlic, mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, anchovy fillets and

lemon juice in the blender. Process till smooth.

While the blender is running add a continuous stream of oil, very slowly.

Process until oil is incorporated.

Add coddled egg.  Process until incorporated.  If you add egg substitute the dressing

will be a little thick, almost like a garlic lemon mayonnaise,

but delicious.  Add pepper and process till combined.

You can find Yvonne's instructions HERE for making these delicious, crunchy croutons

that are a must on a proper Caesar Salad.  I use olive oil when

I toast the croutons because extras keep better than when butter is used.

To  make a Caesar Salad, toss very fresh crisp romaine lettuce with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, several grinds of black pepper and enough dressing to lightly coat.  If I want a to serve this salad as an entree I often add some Dungeness crab, grilled shrimp or blackened salmon to the dressed salad and serve it with crusty bread and a nice, crisp white wine.

It's time for Foodie Friday

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Hope to see you there.