Crab Caesar Salad from Scratch
I used to be like you. You know who you are…
The one who buys their dressings from the store. Tsk tsk! I don’t do that anymore. It’s way too easy to make your own salad dressing and it tastes so much better than that store bought crap-ola we’ve been eating all our life. Trust me -make this dressing one time and you will never be able to go back to the dressing aisle. You can consider this caesar salad as a gateway to many more salad dressings you will soon be making.
If you can make an oil and vinegar dressing -you can just as easily make this one. With just a few flicks of the whisk you’re good to go.
Aside from the anchovy paste you probably have all the ingredients you need, or a close substitute, to make a fantastic dressing.
If you are a bit squeamish to use raw egg yolks -substitute three heaping spoonfuls of light mayonnaise.
What about anchovies? Most people are not too sure about anchovies in a dressing. Get over it! The anchovies are what gives this dressing its savory-rich sauce they need to be added.
Caesar salad is my favorite go-to salad. It’s what I order as a side in any restaurant. I just love lettuce dipped in a great tasting sauce. When I’m at home I eat my salad as a finger food with the dressing on the side as a dip. I don’t add cheese, I don’t add croutons its just me and the romaine.
Confession: If I’m short on time, I will substitute mayonnaise instead of making my own. It hardly compromises the taste.
Ingredients:
- 2 Heads of romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (homemade see recipe below)
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon anchovy paste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon (or to taste) Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup of fresh crab meat (Dungeness preferably)
- Shredded Parmesan
- Croutons (optional)
Method to the Rad-ness:
Chop up the romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces and put them into a large mixing bowl.
In a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Mix until thoroughly blended.
Using tongs add the dressing to the lettuce one Tablespoon at a time. Once the lettuce is coated, divide it in half and put it on two plates. Add the crab meat then sprinkle it with Parmesan and Croutons.
To Make Homemade Mayonnaise:
Makes 1 cup of Mayonnaise
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
In a blender put the egg yolk with the salt and lemon juice and blend well. While the blender is mixing add the oil a drop at a time. It takes a few minutes to add the oil but you can’t add it all at once because it will curdle the mayonnaise.
This mayonnaise will keep for up to 6 days in the fridge if it’s covered tightly.
- 2 Heads of romaine lettuce
- ½ cup of mayonnaise (homemade see recipe below)
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon anchovy paste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon (or to taste) Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup of fresh crab meat (Dungeness preferred)
- Shredded Parmesan
- Croutons (optional)
- Chop up the romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces and put them into a large mixing bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce. Mix until thoroughly blended.
- Using tongs add the dressing to the lettuce one Tablespoon at a time. Once the lettuce is coated, divide it in half and put it on two plates. Add the crab meat then sprinkle it with Parmesan and Croutons.
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