Caesar’s Caesar Salad 

Not at all confused. Just because a food is from a different culture doesn't mean the people from another culture won't adopt it. They simply like it. Arguing that parmesan cheese should be confusing to Mexican cuisine because parmesan is not native to Mexico is like arguing that tomatoes in Italian cuisine is confusing since tomatoes are not native to Italy. The idea that there is a pure native cuisine that cannot or does not adopt portions of another culture is absurd.

Actually the term "coddled" applies to both methods. An egg in the shell can be blanched or "coddled" in boiling water for 1 minute, then cooled before being added to a sauce or a salad dressing. The intent is to thicken the egg and eliminate bacteria. An egg without shell can be "coddled" in a ramekin baked in a water bath until the egg is just set for serving as a light meal. If the ramekin is baked dry the method is called "shirred".

Back in 1972 when I was a starving college graduate I took a job at a restaurant where we made Caesar’s salad table side. Only difference here is the addition of lime juice. We also did not boil the egg which I assumed is food safety. Still make it at home occasionally but I can’t hold a candle to pouring the olive oil like the gentleman in the photo. Good piece.

Growing up in Southern Cal in the late 60's I remember being taken to Caeser's for lunch on a day trip to Tijuana and to this day the salad served tableside there is a cherished vivid memory. There's a splendid episode of "Pati's Mexican Table" on PBS you can stream in which she visits Caeser's and experiences this most famous of salads, the show is worth seeking out.

Chill the plates before serving - and add freshly ground pepper!

Great recipe. But "discard the egg white? Why? It's FOOD. Good. Healthful. Carries the taste of whatever you eat it with. Finish cooking it in a non-stick skillet or a regular skillet with a little olive oil. Save it. Shred it. Put it on toast, buttered, plain, or with avocado or mayonnaise. Toss it in a plain green salad. Add it to potato salad, chicken salad, tuna salad. Throw it into a cup of soup. You get the idea...endless possibilities. Ok,it's a tiny bit. But, come on....

As a vegetarian I am always on the lookout for substitutions and have found that capers provide some of the umami and briny flavor that anchovies would. If you can't find anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce, try some low sodium soy or tamari.

We put sliced garlic into the olive oil an hour or so before making the salad. The croutons are pan-toasted in some of that oil, the rest is used to dress the lettuce before adding the dressing. The dressing we make is similar to this recipe, except we use lemon and red wine vinegar. On the Romaine leaves, years ago, I saw a Julia Childs program, where she made Caesar Salad with whole leaves. As I recall, she encouraged eating it with your fingers.

A coddled egg (an egg placed in very hot water for 30-45 seconds) is designed to denature the protein in the white and make the egg less stringy and more evenly incorporated in the dressing. There are other variations but this one is considered the best for Caesar Salad.

Isn't the egg used here just an egg boiled for one minute, and not a coddled egg? I thought a coddled egg was a whole shelled egg steamed in a ramekin.

@ Mark Herner The reference to a coddled egg in the introduction refers what was believed to be in the original recipe, not the version presented here.

First made this way back in college 40 years ago as a waiter in a fancy Italian restaurant. Stuck with the old recipe, raw egg yolk with anchovies and plenty of really good parmesan. Use lemon, and rub the salad bowls with a wedge of lemon for an intoxicating scent.

Another option for vegetarians: a dab of better-than-bouillon paste!

After trying once, will likely replace my old favorite, Joy of Cooking recipe. I substitute 3/4 tsp Dulse (seaweed)for anchovies.

They key to a great Caesar Salad is Lime Juice and you'll never go back to Lemon again. Another hack is to pour the anchovy oil from the tin as part of the Olive Oil, and don't be scared to use a raw egg. To make this vegetarian you can sub in a mixture of White Miso and Toasted Nori for the anchovies.