httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7Q2gnewfu8
Hey, Food Friends,
This week’s episode is about that classic salad which just so happens to be a classic drink, too. Any guesses??? It’s the Caesar, of course!
One of my favourite salads, it is also one that I like to order at various restaurants, though none can compare to the one from a local restaurant I have frequented for many years. They make their own dressing which is slathered over the lettuce leaves … and you have to love garlic, too!
Seeing that the book we are reviewing (“Cook This Not That “) had its own version, I was excited to try it to see if I could replicate the flavours that I so enjoyed elsewhere.
We put a wee bit of humour into this episode (yeah, right; like we don’t have fun in every episode) with the orgasmic hearts of romaine (the classic lettuce used in a Caesar – ahh, more classics). [Editor sighs: it’s “organic”, not orgasmic, but I don’t think I’ll be able to change Brian’s mind on this one. He can be so stubborn. I know, I know, I’m equally stubborn.]
I also used a squeeze tube of anchovy paste which is an alternative to the whole version, and much cheaper; plus, we were blending it all up anyway, so it was a no-brainer. If I were making a pizza on the other hand, I would definitely use whole ones as squeezed anchovy paste is not quite appealing on a pizza (your choice though, lol).
My verdict was that, although not the same as the salad from my favourite restaurant, it is a very decent alternative and one that you can make quite easily at home.
So, till next time, have more fun with your food and invite some friends to join in, too!
Enjoy!
B & H =;)
Please note: We try and review the recipes in the cookbook. However, in an effort to respect copyright, we are not able to reproduce the actual printed recipes here. If you do have the book, please follow along with us.
Insight on: Grilled Chicken Caesar
Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)
Well, you already know from a previous episode’s notes that one way to my heart is to make me a classic Caesar salad, whole anchovies and all.
But this approach intrigued me. I’m always curious to see how fresh lettuce (or spinach) can be transformed when heated (because we’re all so used to the concept of a salad as being something refreshingly COLD).
I loved the taste of the grilled lettuce and thought that the home-made dressing was terrific. And the way it was mixed – incorporating so many flavours – would have been difficult to identify (if I hadn’t been sitting right there and watching). Of course, I probably would have added more garlic as, by the time the chicken was added, there was much more of a neutral component to every bite. And, if you know me even a little bit, “neutral” and I are not best buds.
Variations
Call me crazy (as if I didn’t give Brian enough opportunities to do so, lol) [B falls right into the word trap: She is CRAZY but, then again, we both are and that is what makes it fun!], but I wish the lettuce had been more grilled. What do I mean? Well, the authors’ presentation concept left a lot to be desired, in my view. You’ve read how I dismiss chefs who create something that isn’t easy to eat, especially in public (though I will make an exception for lobster … or crawdads – of which Brian and I have very fond memories). This was one of those dishes. Heaping two enormous romaine lettuce halves on a plate before adding even more ingredients on top may make for a striking picture, but a messy dish to tackle.
So, I could really envision slicing each whole lettuce into one-inch high ROUNDS and then grilling them (imagine pretend lettuce pancakes, though trying to flip them would most likely result in a big mess). Of course, because each round would have significantly less mass, the grilling period would be shorter (though the entire grilling session lengthened). I know it’s not expedient to suggest a technique that takes longer but, sometimes for the sake of the taste and presentation of a dish, I think it’s very much worth it.
The end result, then, would have been a plate piled with a riot of crinkly romaine (with all of it being warm), then adorned with the array of sliced chicken and sprinkles of sun-dried tomatoes and sliced olives. And I wouldn’t need a dangerous pointy implement (knife) with which to attack my dinner.
If you’re a fan of grilled calamari (squid), then I’m sure you could also see it in place of the chicken. Mmmm. Calarami. Caesar dressing. Yum to the max!
In any case, my curiosity was satisfied and so were my taste-buds. Grilled lettuce (especially a seriously crispy one such as romaine with large leaves) is a Very. Good. Idea!!!
Microformatting by hRecipe.