Caesar salad

I've been positively buried in work lately. But no matter how busy I am, I try to cook, and when I do, I take photos with the intention of posting them. If I get really busy, like now, I end up with stacks and stacks (or lots of RAM) of photos, just waiting to be uploaded. So although I made this Caesar salad a few weeks ago (!), I am only now getting to posting it (even though I should be in bed as I have a 7:30 am flight in the morning for work, ugh).



A few weeks ago when I wasn't working on the weekends and had time to go to the farmer's market, I bought some romaine. Summer is pretty much the only time I buy romaine lettuce because it's amazingly inexpensive for a very generously-sized bunch. Plus, I just feel like it tastes better in the summer.


I've been making this dressing for years. It's been so long that I don't even remember where I got it--I think maybe Martha Stewart. I usually start with a clove of garlic which I smash in a bowl using the back of a wooden spoon, but I only had one clove of garlic left and it was a really big one which would have been overwhelming for a relatively small salad. So, I started with a little dijon, anchovy paste (or fillet), a splash of Worcestershire, and a generous splash of lemon. I like lemon-y dressing so I add a lot.


Then I slowly drizzled in some garlic olive oil while whisking (another reason why I didn't start with garlic, as I knew I'd be using my garlic olive oil). The dijon helps to bind it better but too much will make the dressing feel thick. If that happens, I usually add more lemon juice.


Then I added some black pepper and grated parmegiano cheese, although the cheese could be added at the very end.


I tore up some romaine lettuce right into the bowl with the dressing and tossed. It's pretty easy to adjust this dressing to your own taste. Sometimes I like more cheese, sometimes I like more dijon. If I don't have enough dressing (which is rare), I'll just add a splash of olive oil.


I made enough for two fairly generous servings. Which is the equivalent of one normal serving for me.