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The Shavuoth Holiday is associated with greenery. Usually that means floral and branch decorations on the wall, but why not extend it to salad greens in the bowl?
Certain gourmet dishes are ideal for the Jewish home. So long as those recipes use ingredients carrying a proper hechsher, in a kosher kitchen, then those recipes are kosher without compromising any of their gourmet integrity.
Caesar Salad is a good example, for all its components are readily available in a kosher brand. This contrasts, for example, with a recipe for Quiche, the main-dish custard pie, in which Gruyere cheese is the dominant element. A kosher cook would have to know that the nearest kosher equivalent to the French Gruyere is old-fashioned Swiss cheese, also called "Emmenthaler."
Caesar Salad is the most American of dishes, though few of us actually think of it as an all-American treat. This salad also boasts an extremely interesting history.
During the 1920's, when autos were still a new luxury owned only by the very rich, Caesar Cardini had a restaurant in Tijuana, the town on the Mexican side of the California border. On nice weekends--and the weather always is nice in that part of the world--wealthy Californians used to drive down in their new cars to stuff themselves silly at Caesar's eatery.
One particular Sunday when the house was packed, Mr. C ran out of food. So he foraged in his kitchen and announced to all present that, as the special of the day, he was going to serve his secret salad. Talk about an instant hit!
Reportedly, every last scrap of lettuce was consumed, and the crowd returned the following weekend, clamoring for more. Friends told friends, and Caesar's reputation was made.
This basic story has been confirmed by no less an authority than Julia Child, America's greatest cookbook author and television chef.
About ten years ago, Caesar Salad experienced a sudden surge in popularity, showing up everywhere from fast food kiosks to the fanciest dining spots. The basic recipe is for Romaine lettuce, dressing, and "croutons," which are small toasted cubes of bread that soak up the dressing.
The dressing itself was originally made with lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, raw egg, mustard, grated Parmesan cheese, anchovies and hot sauce.
Today, some people leave out the anchovies as a matter of preference, but these do add to the flavor. Better to soak the little fishes in cold water for about twenty minutes, and then dry them well, before adding to the dressing. This method preserves a subtle seafood taste with little left of the salt used in the curing. Other cooks ease up on the garlic, or the hot sauce. To keep the salad parve, leave out the cheese--but it will not be as good. Better to save this specialty for a dairy meal. And omit the raw egg altogether in acknowledgment of modern awareness of salmonella bacteria.
While the original recipe used dry mustard powder, the thick and creamy texture of the Dijon-style mustard here recaptures some of the smoothness once added by the now-eliminated raw egg.
With popularity, variations of this classic have been spawned. The dressing is great on vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus. It also turns out to be a superb sauce for cheese ravioli. Some people have taken to topping this salad with chicken or fish, but these additions diminish the intensity of the classic Caesar Salad.
So here it is...Caesar Salad...a fully American invention...though neither truly North American nor Mexican...and nothing to do with those Roman Caesars, Julius and Augustus. But marvelous, whatever the origin. And kosher.
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Caesar Salad
2 oz. anchovies (optional) 1 package of romaine lettuce containing 3 bunches, OR 2 medium-large heads 3 medium-large cloves of garlic, or to taste juice of 3 large lemons 1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 6 drops of hot sauce, or to taste, OR substitute ground black pepper 1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably olive oil 2 cups croutons* Drain the anchovies, if they are to be used, of any oil from the tin, and soak them in cold water for approximately 20 minutes, changing the water at least once. Wash lettuce and tear into large pieces, discarding any tough outer leaves. Allow to dry well; a salad spinner does this job best. Though the dressing has the best consistency if prepared in a blender or food processor, it may be made by hand. If using an appliance, add the anchovies, drained and well-dried, the garlic cloves, the lemon juice, the grated Parmesan cheese, the mustard and the hot sauce. Blend well. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Those who keep their appliances parve may proceed as above with all ingredients except the Parmesan cheese and then mix in the grated cheese at the very end in a separate dish. If preparing by hand, mince the garlic. Drain and dry the anchovies and mash well. In a small bowl, add the garlic, the anchovies, the lemon juice, the grated Parmesan cheese, the mustard and the hot sauce and mix thoroughly. With a whisk, add the oil in a slow stream. When ready to serve, transfer the lettuce to a salad bowl. Top with croutons. Add dressing and toss well. Lettuce may be washed one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator loosely wrapped in paper towels, in unsealed plastic bags. The dressing may be made two days before needed, and mixed well immediately before serving. Serves 8-12. *Croutons may be bought ready made, in packages at the supermarket, or they can be made at home by cubing stale bread and toasting it for approximately 20 minutes in a 350 degree F. oven. |
All recipes copyright 1999 by Judith Segal, The Kosher Gourmet, New York. All rights reserved. Recipes are provided for personal use only. Recipes may not be resold or included in any published collections without the express written permission of their owner, Judith Segal; recipes may not be stored in retrieval systems and/or databases, or reproduced and/or transmitted by any means whatsoever, electronic or otherwise, without the express written permission of their owner, Judith Segal. The word recipe as used here is defined to include, but not be limited to: Ingredients, both specificity and order, and/or language of instruction, and/or cooking techniques as recommended.
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