Caesar salad is a popular dish made with romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan, and vinaigrette dressing. It was invented in Mexico by the Cardini brothers in the 1920s. The dressing traditionally includes mustard, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and a raw egg or cod. Some people omit the raw egg due to food safety concerns.
A Caesar salad is a classically prepared salad with romaine lettuce, croutons, grated Parmesan, and a vinaigrette dressing. This basic salad is immensely popular with a diverse section of mankind, and a large number of variations on the basic Caesar are served and sold around the world. Many restaurants have a Caesar of one form or another on their menus, and it’s often prepared at home as well, sometimes with additional ingredients like grilled chicken or anchovies.
Credit for the invention of the Caesar salad is generally attributed to Cesare and Alex Cardini, brothers who ran a restaurant in Mexico during the Prohibition era. According to popular mythology, when a Fourth of July rush wiped out their cooking supplies, the brothers tossed ingredients together by hand, tossing them at the table for extra flavor, and the Caesar salad was born. This event took place around 1924, and since no previous claims have been made for the invention, it is probably safe to assume that the credit should actually go to the Cardinals.
According to Cesare Cardini, the condiment includes mustard, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, wine vinegar, lime or lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and a raw egg or cod. Ideally the garlic should be pressed into the olive oil and left to soak, creating a stronger flavor, and Cardini frowns on adding anchovies, arguing that the Worcestershire sauce provides the kick of fishy flavor that’s needed.
The romaine leaves in a Caesar salad are traditionally left whole, as the salad is meant to be eaten with the fingers, though many diners are unaware of this. The marriage of crunchy, fresh romaine, crunchy croutons, fresh and savory Parmesan, and tangy relish is seen by some as one of the best dining experiences in the world. Sadly, pure Caesar has many imitators, including versions made with other cheeses, cut lettuce, various meats, and adulterations like parsley.
Some people choose to omit the raw egg in their Caesar salad dressing, due to concerns about foodborne illnesses such as salmonella. Pasteurized egg products can be used to create the desired texture and flavor without danger, and these products are used in commercial Caesar dressings, which are available in many markets. You can also make the dressing yourself, of course, with or without a raw egg; you may find that a fresh homemade dressing transforms the flavor of the salad, explaining why it has become so popular with such simple ingredients.
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