Dog Days
As the dog days of summer approach I’m looking forward to some drier weather to allow the cos lettuce in the garden to come into maturity. Cos lettuce more commonly known as romaine lettuce is an edible member of the daisy family. Its long narrow dark green leaves are rather crisp with a distinctive rib that grows almost to the tip of the leaf.
These thick ribs are most prominent on the outer leaves, which are all too often discarded during the preparation of romaine lettuce but those dark green outer leaves contain more nutrients than the paler inner leaves. It should also be noted that cos lettuce leaves are intended to be served whole because etiquette dictates that the leaves are meant to be lifted by the stem and eaten with the fingers.
It’s these larger ribbed leaves that secrete an abundance of milky sap when cut or torn which gives romaine lettuce its delicate bitter herb taste and when blended with Caesar dressing enhance the overall flavour of one’s salad.
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For some reason Caesar Salad recipes are the ones that people want to share with me the most. Maybe it says something about my Caesar dressing recipe but appears that we all make or know someone who makes the best caser salad in the world. The following recipe is a variation on the traditional that I like to use. I know it is not the best but I do enjoy it in a salad, as a dip or even as a sandwich spread. I will sometimes add some chopped hard boil eggs to my salad along with lots of bacon. I personally avoid using croutons because I do not like the noise they make inside my head when eating them.
Freshly harvested Ontario lettuces are widely available in our produce aisles and farmers markets. With so many food items coming into season remember that all types of lettuce should be stored away from ethylene-producing fruits, such as apples, bananas and pears. These naturally occurring gas emissions cause lettuce leaves to brown prematurely.
Caesar Salad Dressing
Ingredients:
Two whole raw eggs, shelled
Two tbsp. Of red wine or Balsamic vinegar
One tbsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice
One to four cloves of garlic depending on your personal preference
One white of a green onion
One tsp capers
One tsp. Worcestershire sauce
One – two cups of canola oil depending on desired consistency
One quarter cup of grated of parmesan
Salt and Pepper
Method: in a food processor combine the eggs, vinegar, lemon juice and garlic. Puree until smooth on a high speed. With the processor still running on high add the green onion, capers and Worcestershire and continue pureeing until smooth. Continue to operate the food processor on high and gradually pour in the oil. Take your time and allow 3- five minutes to complete this process as we do not want the dressing to separate.
If you prefer a lighter dressing add less oil and for thicker dressings add more. Once the oil has been added, finish by adding the parmesan cheese.
Taste the dressing and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Let the dressing sit for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Additional ingredients to try in your Caesar salad include pancetta, grilled asparagus, almonds and hard boiled eggs.
