The original Caesar salad

This traditional Caesar salad recipe is inspired by the original version of the famed salad, dating back to the 1920s, when it was rumoured to have been invented by Caesar Cardini at his restaurant in Tijuana. The original recipe used coddled eggs for the dressing and didn’t contain bacon or anchovies, for a lighter dressing and was eaten by hand.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Not Your Normal Salad

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, halved
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ½ baguette, sliced into 1.5 cm slices
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 head cos lettuce (or 2 heads baby cos)
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Rub the inside of a large bowl with half the garlic, cut-side down, then add 1 tbsp of the oil and set aside. Heat around half the remaining olive oil with the remaining garlic in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the baguette slices in batches, cooking for 2 minutes each side, or until well brownedon . Remove to a plate and season well with salt and pepper. 
   
2. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Prick a small hole in the base of your eggs and boil for 90 seconds. Remove from the hot water, allow to cool slightly, then crack the eggs into the garlic oil bowl, with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice and the remaining olive oil and whisk well to combine.
   
3. Separate the lettuce leaves, then wash and thoroughly dry off any dirt or grit. Cut any large leaves lengthways if they are too large. Roll the lettuce leaves through the dressing, stirring them to coat completely. Transfer to a serving plate and add the parmesan and croutons. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Not Your Normal Salad

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G