Creamy Homemade Caesar Dressing

Hi Friends,

And I really mean it when I say friends.

I hesitated for quite some time before hitting “publish” on my last blog post. The experience was something I really needed to talk about, but I wasn’t sure that this was the right setting. Is a food blog really the place to unburden life’s traumas? And then I realized, yes, it is. Because that’s what food is really about for me: friends, family, community; sharing life, the trials and the triumphs, around the kitchen table.

Recently I took some time to reflect on my vision for this little corner of the world wide web. What was my goal? What did I want to communicate in my updated “about” page?

I decided I wanted the essence of Foodess to be a “maritime kitchen party”. In my part of the world, that is what we call a gathering of friends, neighbours and family around the heart of the home to share stories, laughter and good home-cooked food. I often find myself engaged in discourse about the importance of food to our lives; how it enriches our relationships, creates bonds, and is something to be shared and celebrated. And this is what I have found right here: a wonderful community of people bonded by a love of food; friends who come for the eats and stay for the personal connection.

So with that, I just want to say a big watery-eyed, red-nosed thank you for all of your support and kind comments, on twitter and facebook, by email and on the post itself. I’m so incredibly touched by all your hugs and tears and shared relief.

Phew!

Now on to the nosh! I haven’t purchased store-bought caesar dressing in eons. That’s because it is so darn easy to make it from scratch, in a matter of seconds, from ingredients I always have on hand. And it just tastes so much better!

I am admittedly taking certain liberties in using the term from scratch. True made-from-scratch caesar dressing starts with oil emulsified with egg yolks, enriched with mashed anchovies. The purist version is more of a dinner guests treat for me, whereas the recipe I’m sharing today is an everyday weeknight recipe; it skips the fresh eggs in favour of mayo, and lightens up with buttermilk. The salty anchovy flavour is imparted by worcestershire sauce – which, for those who don’t know, owes it’s savoury bite to the fermented little fishies. I have just ruined worcestershire sauce for some people, haven’t I? You could alternatively use anchovy paste or a splash of thai fish sauce (also anchovy based).

Toss crisp romaine with some homemade croutons (torn day-old bread tossed with olive oil & a clove of garlic, salt & pepper, baked at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes), this dressing, et voila!

A scrumptious salad that gives its bottle-based counterpart a swift kick in the rear end.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (or to desired thinness)
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

Preparation

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients, adding more buttermilk if thinner consistency is desired. Adjust seasoning to taste.
2. Keeps well for up to ten days in the refrigerator.

Last Updated on June 29, 2012 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD