Caesar Salad Dressing

With my stance on dressings well documented, I am sharing another one. This is my base Caesar dressing. If you are like me and just shake your head at the dressing aisle in the supermarket, read on. I, like you, prefer making my own dressings mostly because I know that it is fresh and I know exactly what is in it. You do have a choice! Recipe is from Julia Child. I have my own Nosh tips at the end.

1) You can make this either separately in a bowl and drizzle on your lettuce leaves or do as I do which is to make the dressing with the leaves.

2) In the bowl method: drizzle 2 TBSPs of really good olive oil over 24 leaves of Romaine lettuce. Toss well to coat. Sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper, then squeeze 1 whole lemon on the leaves. Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Toss to coat.

3) EGGS: If you are reluctant to use raw eggs (salmonella chance) or your medical condition prevents it, either use pasteurized eggs or put an egg in boiling water for 1 minute. If you want, you can substitute some mayo for the egg. Crack 1 egg into the bowl. Toss to coat well.

4) Add 2 TBSPs of grated Parmigiano- Reggiano, yes the real stuff. Toss to coat.

Serve with your favorite meal. You can top off the salad with the proverbial chicken breast or what I did a pork katsu. Wa la!!

Nosh Tips: It is all about umami and I suggest adding a bit more here as the Worcestershire isn’t quite enough. Add a little bit of any of these items: fish sauce, chopped anchovies, anchovy paste, dashi, soy or ground up dried mushrooms.

Eat.Drink.Savor.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Here is a newer recipe that shakes up our normal Roasted Brussels Sprout rut that we get into from time to time. It is an America’s Test Kitchen recipe we stumbled onto and it is a big labor intensive but well worth it as you can make it ahead of time.

1) 1 LB of Brussels Sprouts, cut in half through the stem and sliced crosswise very thin. Now, I tried to use my grater on my food processor and it didn’t turn out well as the sprouts became too dense. The slicer was a better option but nothing worked as well as a plain old Chef’s knife.

2) Whisk 2 TBSPs lemon juice, 1 TBSP mustard (I like Dijon here), 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1 small shallot, minced and 1/2 tsp salt. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil.

3) Add sprouts and toss well. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, 2 hours max. The acid in the lemon juice is your hard worker as it will break down the sprouts and make it a more enjoyable chew without getting the sprout mushy.

4) Stir in 2/3 C. shredded Pecorino Romano or another similar cheese (Parmesan) and 1/4 C. toasted pine nuts. Salt and pepper to taste.

Eat.Drink.Savor.

Cucumber Salad

We thrive off of simplicity and flavorful dishes here. Another benefit of this recipe is another option for cucumbers. I loved them as a kid but as an adult, I learned quickly that I didn’t really have much of a go-to cucumber recipe. My Aunt Emilie introduced this dish to me and I was a fan ever since. She was kind enough to share it with me. I believe the original recipe was published in the late 60s but it still works today.

1) 2 Medium peeled cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out all the seeds. Slice cucumbers, crosswise into 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices. Set aside.

2) In a mixing bowl, combine 1 TSP soy sauce, 1 TBSP white wine vinegar, 1 TBSP sugar, 2 TSPs sesame seed oil, (if desired), 1/4 tsp Tabasco. (I love Cholula or Sriracha here) and 1/2 TSP salt. Mix well.

3) Add cucumber, toss well to coat all pieces. Chill before serving. The recipe serves 4-6.

Eat.Drink.Savor.

Shaved Asparagus Salad

This was one of the recipes I showcased during my first in-person cooking demonstration. It was a hit! What I love about this recipe is that there is no cooking at all; just prep and assembly. I love alternatives to cooked asparagus and this is one of them. This recipe serves 6 so adjust as necessary.

1) 2 pounds of asparagus. Cut off the bottom 1” of the stalk. You have 2 choices, long strips or rounds. I feel that there is a lot of waste and a bit of hassle with the long but it is up to you. If you have one, use a mandolin and cut the asparagus into thin strips or rounds. If you have to use a knife, cut as thin as you can. Why? The dressing, specifically the citrus acid, needs to break down the raw asparagus and if you don’t give it time, the asparagus will be too chewy and too raw.

2) In a mixing bowl, combine 1 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 3 TBSP lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best here), 2 TBSP warm water, 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Put in asparagus and mix to coat well. Put in fridge to sit for at least 30 minutes but a few hours ahead of time works best to let the flavors meld and the acid of the lemon juice to soften the asparagus slightly.

Done! Eat.Drink.Savor.