Recipe: Ceasar Salad Dressing

I've loved Ceasar salad ever since I was a kid, but it was only a year ago that I first tried making it at home.  It was so easy and so delicious that it became a staple for weekday quick meals after work, for Sunday football games, and for watching The Bachelor with friends.

Everyone says they love my dressing, but I have to admit I don't do anything extraordinary, I'm just glad my friends aren't afraid of garlic!  Every batch of dressing is a little different since I eyeball everything.  but below I wrote down the basics of my recipe.

In a small food processor combine:

• 4-5 large cloves of fresh garlic
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/8-1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (start with 1/8 c. and add more at the end if needed)
• 2 anchovy filets*
• 1 egg*
• 1/3 cup of freshly shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. of cracked black pepper

Pulse in the food processor until it's creamy, but a little chunky.  Add more cheese/olive oil/anchovies/black pepper/garlic to taste.

If your dressing is too thick just add a little more olive oil.  If it's too thin add more cheese and garlic.

For the salad I sometimes I add tomatoes, sometimes I make crusty croutons, and sometimes I don't even use Romaine lettuce (argula and kale taste delicious with this dressing).

* = optional.   The dressing tastes great without the egg, so feel free to leave it out if raw egg grosses you out.   The anchovy is optional as well, but you'll be changing the flavor of traditional Caesar.  It doesn't taste fishy so give it a chance if you can!