Caesar Salad

During Prohibition, a steady stream of customers
came from California to drink—and eat—
at a restaurant called Caesar's Place in
Tijuana, Mexico.

As Caesar Cardini liked to tell it, the Caesar salad was born on July 4, 1924. That day an unexpectedly large number of customers began arriving at his restaurant, Caesar's Place, in Tijuana, Mexico. Because he was running low on supplies, Cardini decided to make up the difference with a bit of showmanship. He brought to the table all of the ingredients for what later became known as Caesar salad and assembled the dish right on the spot, with dramatic flourishes.

Apparently the ploy worked, because soon customers began traveling to Caesar's Place just to order the famous salad. Among the patrons were Hollywood stars, including Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, and W. C. Fields

Julia Child, who was a young teenager at the time, also traveled to Mexico, along with her parents, to see what all the fuss was about. She recalls it in her book From Julia Child's Kitchen:

"My parents, of course, ordered the salad. Caesar himself rolled the big cart up to the table, tossed the romaine in a great wooden bowl, and I wish I could say I remember his every move, but I don't."

Years later, when Child was planning a segment on Caesar salad for television, she got in touch with Cardini's daughter, Rosa, and worked with her to record for posterity his original preparation.

What we offer here is Child's recording of the salad, with one important change: In the original, Cardini cracked two coddled (warmed but not cooked) eggs over the lettuce. For modern safety reasons, we cook the eggs over very low heat.

Caesar Salad

Makes 6 servings
The appeal of this salad comes from the way Cardini tossed it. As Child describes it: "Prepare to use large, rather slow and dramatic gestures for everything you do."
Note: To make an authentic Caesar salad, you start by making your own garlic-infused oil, which takes at least 2 days.

5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
21/2 cups cubed (1/2-inch) peasant bread, preferably day-old
2 large heads romaine lettuce
2 large eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
12 to 15 drops Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a small saucepan of boiling water, blanch the garlic for 1 minute. Peel, smash with the side of a knife, and place in a small jar. Pour in the olive oil and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 days and up to 5 days. Strain out the garlic and discard.
2. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
3. Toss the bread cubes with 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
4. Separate the lettuce into leaves and wash well. Pat dry. Cut into 2-inch lengths (16 to 18 cups). Wrap the lettuce in a towel and refrigerate until you're ready to put the salad together.
5. In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice. Cook over very low heat, whisking constantly (so the egg doesn't curdle) until the mixture has thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk vigorously off the heat until the mixture cools slightly.
6. Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Add 6 tablespoons of the garlic oil and toss twice to evenly coat. Add 3 more tablespoons garlic oil. Sprinkle with the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and toss once.
7. Add the egg mixture and toss twice. Add the Parmesan and toss once. Add the croutons and give the salad a final toss.

Middle European Caesar: Use pumpernickel bread for the croutons. Whisk 2 teaspoons honey mustard into the cooled egg mixture off heat. Omit the Worcestershire. Add 1/4 cup minced fresh dill.

[This article first appeared in the Summer 2008 issue of Hallmark Magazine. The postcard that ran with the article was courtesy of Pernel S. Thyseldew.]