SmartShopIt Blog

Chef Caesar Cardini

The origin of the Caesar Salad is probably the most discussed and controversial of any other salad.  (Well, we don’t argue as to where the Caprese salad originated, right?)  For this salad, all roads lead to Tijuana, Mexico — and a lesson on how family and community shape our food.

Julia Child helped to substantiate where this dish was created when she wrote in her book, “From Julia Child’s Kitchen” (1975), about a visit to Rosa Cardini, the sister of Caesar Cardini, a chef and restaurateur, of whom the dish is named.  The family ran a restaurant in Tijuana at the base of the Hotel Comercial.  Alex, his brother, used to make a similar salad called the Aviator salad, which he would prepare for the fly-boys who would come down from San Diego.  The main difference is the inclusion of anchovies in the Aviator salad which is substituted with Worcestershire sauce in Caesar’s version.  A few other staff members of the hotel also claim they invented the infamous Caesar dish.  What’s also interesting is that a search of most restaurants that are well known for their Caesar salads add anchovies and mustard as is in the Aviator Salad recipe.

Today though, the most controversial aspect of this salad is the inclusion of a raw or coddled (slightly cooked) egg, due to the potential exposure to salmonella as I wrote about in the article on the egg called “Which Came First…?!“.  Most recipes today omit the egg and use another protein to help create the necessary base for the dressing’s creamy texture.  These include mayonnaise, whole grain or Dijon mustard and butter.  These recipes often refer to this as a Caesar Vinaigrette.  Other items have also been substituted along with the inclusion of anchovies (which makes it the Aviator Salad) and this has further fueled the debate as to which is the best and original recipe.  If you want to use the egg and want to avoid the health risk, you could use an egg substitute or purchase pasteurized eggs.

Putting on our food mystery Columbo hat, we can surmise that this is what possibly happened.  It was a holiday weekend and Rosa said they had an especially busy run on food being that this July 4th (1924), fell on a Friday.  (Either many Americans decided to make for a long holiday weekend by going to Mexico or the locals decided that if their Amigos to the North were partying, then so should they!)  To be a successful chef, we know that it takes resourcefulness and a touch of the flamboyant.  Hey, just look at the Iron Chefs today.  Looking in the pantry and seeing that they were out of some of the usual of ingredients (darn, that anchovy purveyor!) Caesar probably did what any good chef would do and created a great dish with the ingredients he did have.  He used the a salad recipe he was familiar with and modified it slightly.

Also knowing that presentation sells, we know from Rosa’s accounts that he made the salad in front of the guests probably with a flair certain to impress the crowd.  Let’s close our eyes (okay, you can open them again since you need to keep reading) and imagine us sitting in our black tie suit or formal dress as Caesar (and staff) approach our table, wheeling a cart with many ingredients pre-measured into small bowls surrounding a large wooden bowl.  Also on the cart is a whisk, a fork, two large salad serving spoons and a large pepper grinder.

Taking the large wooden bowl, he wets the customer’s appetites with the smell of fresh garlic by rubbing some cloves against the wood, releasing the oils and aroma.  (This always works for us!)  Then with a bit of flair he cracks a raw (or coddled) egg and separates the whites from the yolk by passing it back and forth between the two half shells.  Then he adds Worcestershire sauce (in lieu of the anchovy) and some wine vinegar.  With the flair of a seasoned Maitre’d he sticks a fork in a half of a lemon and raises it high and squeezes the lemon allowing the juice to fall into the mixture.  He does this a few more times.  One can then picture him whisking (with the fork) that mixture briskly while telling his best Gringo joke.  Next, while one of his assistants holds the bowl (putting a rolled towel down in a loop to form a cradle works well if, like us, you can’t afford an assistant), he holds the olive oil high with one hand and the large whisk in the other.  Then as the mariachi band plays behind him, he begins whisking the mixture while slowly pouring in the extra virgin oil thus emulsifying the ingredients into a creamy dressing.

Next he takes some fresh, crisp, chilled, whole Romaine lettuce leaves that are wrapped in a napkin and unfurls them into the bowl, tossing them with the spoons until they are coated in with the dressing.  Finally, he throws in some home made croutons and grates some Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese in for good measure.  He takes one of the small leaves and tastes the salad, like a good sommolier would to ensure your wine is good before serving you.  Some salt is thrown in, adds a few turns of the pepper mill and he concludes the presentation to the applause from the table.

For the most part that is the recipe.  Wait, you cry! Where’s the ingredients list?!  Where’s the preparation instructions in numerical order?  Before you scream at us, let us explain. What we gave you is what’s missing from most recipes today, the art of the presentation.   The cook books and Internet are filled with ingredient lists and how to put them together.  But as you can see the list for this dish is relatively simple.  Nothing special.  No need to hunt down exotic croutons.  What made this dish was the atmosphere created by the presentation.  The history, the Cardini family and the personal touch of Caesar Cardini himself.  People probably talked more about the show then the salad itself.  It put the salad on the map.  And the Cardini dressing can still be purchased in bottles today.

When’s the last time you ordered a Caesar salad in your local restaurant and had it prepared this way?  (Click here for one of the best Caesar Salads in San Francisco) For many of you, probably never.  For me, it was over 20 years ago.  And I remember the first time I saw it as a young man, I was so impressed with the presentation that we talked about that salad for weeks.  So the next time you make this salad, why not do it with the same flair?  Make it a small show for your guests!  Tell this story or one of your own.  Add your own touch! These are the dishes that people remember, whether made by our grandma, your local chef or you!

Okay, you can stop fretting now.  Here’s the classic recipe (with some tips of my own):

Classic Caesar Salad (Serves 4)

• 3 Medium Heads Romaine Lettuce (washed, dried and crisp)
• Dash Worchestershire Sauce
• Grated Parmessan Cheese, 5 to 6 Tbs.
• Freshly Made Croutons, 1 cup
• One Garlic clove
• Salad Oil, 1/3 cup  (Extra virgin olive oil or even garlic infused oil works great.)
• Wine Vinegar, 1 to 2 Tbs.
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 raw egg, separated (coddled, if desired)
• Salt and ground pepper, to taste

Prepare as per Caesar Cardini’s method above!

To make croutons, cut 1 cup of country white bread into 1/4 inch cubes.  Toss in a bowl with 3-4 tbs. garlic infused oil and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.  Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes in a pre-heated oven set to 350 degrees.  Stir once half-way through for even baking.  Bake until golden brown and dry.

(Visit our main site and become a free member at SmartShopIt.com to save time and money grocery shopping. Create shopping lists, see product price and nutrition information. Get free coupons and compare products. Also accessible via your mobile web device at http://m.SmartShopIt.com)

Filed under: Recipes