I wasn’t sure how to title this blog. I was tempted to call it the Kitchen Sink Caesar Salad. But I’ve never felt secure with that “kitchen sink” phrase. Now, my personal kitchen sink is clean, and uncluttered, and hasn’t been plugged up for months. Still, the connotations can be less than culinarily pleasing.

And I had a good reason to label this recipe “All In.” I’ve made and eaten Caesar salad hundreds of times. The dish simply fascinates me. It’s one of those “do they have it” recipes I use when checking out a new cookbook.

And, oh, how those recipes can vary. The mythology about how the original Caesar was created is dense, so by now we are not sure even what those original ingredients were. If you scan cookbooks for Caesar recipes, you find significant differences. Some with anchovies, some without. Some with Worcestershire sauce, some without. And there is the issue of hot sauce and whether to use raw egg yolk and … There are a dozen different major variations.

So if you want a good Caesar dressing, an authentic one, what are you to do? This recipe from the Santacafe in Santa Fe is my favorite. Like the “all in” action in poker where you just push all the chips forward on the table, here you are all in with all those possible ingredients. The result is a thick, tangy dressing that will leave your mouth sparkling.

Even when you determine which ingredients to use in your Caesar, as we have here, you still have some room for experimentation. I have used the proportions listed below to yield an excellent dressing. I have also played with some variations. I use fewer egg yolks for a slightly lighter dressing. If your palette loves a tangy bite, you might double the lemon juice or red wine vinegar. This recipe is robust and you can make these variations with no risk. You dressing will still be superior.

The biggest question many people have about Caesar dressing is the anchovies. They can be overpowering. Bottled anchovies are often quite intense in flavor and may be packed with salt and other flavorings that can affect the balance of dressing. I suggest first tasting your anchovies and making an on-the-spot decision about just how much to use. You can always sneak in an additional minced anchovy at the end.

Better yet, look in your market for those packets of anchovies in the refrigerated foods aisle. These packets are wide, flat and covered with plastic wrap revealing a single layer of anchovies. Please try them. In this format, you will taste a pure anchovy flavor, one that is subtle, not strongly fishy. They present a different taste experience and definitely yield a more sophisticated dressing.

For me, a perfect meal is a Caesar salad, a petite steak, and a serious bottle of sparkling wine. This dressing will help make that meal.

Caesar Dressing

Servings: Dressing for 3 small heads of romaine, for 6-8 people

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
7 dashes Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 can (2 ounces) anchovy fillets, drained and minced
1 ¼ cups olive oil
4 egg yolks.

Preparation:

In a medium-sized bowl combine the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt, half the pepper, and the anchovies. Lightly whisk to blend. Continuing to whisk, drizzle in the olive oil, adding just enough to form a smooth texture. Whisk in the egg yolks. Taste and correct seasoning.

Source: Santacafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico