• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Edible Learning Lab
  • Home
  • Start

    Essential Reading

    Program Overview

    The broad strokes of the Edible Learning Lab Program.

    Teachers Primer

    A guide to help teachers visualize their edible education program.

    Farmers Primer

    Learn how to turn your farm into an edible classroom.

    Organizations Primer

    Discover how you can bring edible education into your community.

    Grants & Funding

    There are numerous grants and funding sources to get you started.

    Equipment Recommendations

    Buy the same equipment we use in our flagship Lab.

    The Legal Stuff

    Privacy Policy

    Terms and Conditions

  • Lessons

    Advanced Lesson Search

    Beginner Lessons

    The Beginner Lessons form the foundation with a sound overview of the core concepts of food production.

    Intermediate Lessons

    The Intermediate Lessons allow students to experiment and prove the core concepts.

    Advanced Lessons

    The Advanced Lessons give students an opportunity to apply what they've learned in the previous levels.

    Lessons By Station

    Seed Starting Curriculum

    Soil Management Curriculum

    Vermiculture Curriculum

    Hydroponics Curriculum

    Composting Curriculum

    Water Management Curriculum

    Seed Saving Curriculum

    Teaching Kitchen Curriculum

  • Blog

    Our Top Posts

    What is a Food Desert?

    Gain insight into food deserts, the communities they impact, and how edible education may offer a solution.

    The Difference Between Rainwater and Tap Water

    Not all water is created equal especially when we're talking about the health and development of plants and people.

    Why Rain is Important

    Rain or the lack of an adequate supply can have profound effects on farming and the communities that rely on the harvest.

    Anatomy of a Seed

    It all begins with a seed and this article dives deep into the 5 primary parts of the seed that make it all possible.

Simple Caesar Salad Dressing

Apr 10 by Dave Creech Leave a Comment

This recipe has been tailored to accompany the Edible Learning Lab Teaching Kitchen collection of lessons. The simplified instructions make it an ideal recipe for young students. It is intended to accompany the lesson, Microplane It.

finished Caesar Salad

How much do you know about the history of the Caesar Salad? Would you have guessed it originated in Tijuana?

There are a couple of conflicting stories as to who invented the Caesar Salad and when it was first served. But by all accounts it originated in a restaurant in Tijuana called Caesar’s Place, run by San Diego resident and Italian immigrant Caesar (Cesare) Cardini. He and his brothers lived in San Diego in the 1920s but ran the popular restaurant in Tijuana to avoid the prohibition laws in the US. Caesar’s Place became a popular party destination for Hollywood celebrities and military stationed in San Diego. Who made the salad first, why and for who differs depending on who’s story you believe. But the best rendition is that the salad was originally made for a group of rowdy Air Force pilots from Rockwell Field who had slept off the previous night’s exploits at Caesar’s and needed a good breakfast to ease their hangovers. The salad was made table-side and mixed together in a wooden bowl before being served and was meant to be eaten by hand. It was well received and became known as the Aviator’s Salad until it gained popularity and “Let’s get that salad at Caesar’s” evolved into the Caesar’s Salad.

Cesare’s brother, Alex Cardini (who claimed to have originally made the salad for the pilots in the story), eventually moved to Mexico City and opened several restaurants. He brought the salad recipe with him and it was listed on his menu as “The Original Alex Cardini Caesar Salad”.

finished Caesar Salad
Simple Caesar Salad Dressing
Print Recipe
Caesar salad is a restaurant favorite and an old stand-by for many side salads. The original recipe from the 1920s actual incorporated the ingredients as the salad was tossed table-side so there was no separate dressing. Making the dressing on it's own does allow you to make some ahead of time and put the salad together when you want to. This recipe has been simplified for our younger students in the Teaching Kitchen.
  • CourseDressing
  • CuisineTeaching Kitchen Recipes
Servings Prep Time
1 pint 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 pint 10 minutes
finished Caesar Salad
Simple Caesar Salad Dressing
Print Recipe
Caesar salad is a restaurant favorite and an old stand-by for many side salads. The original recipe from the 1920s actual incorporated the ingredients as the salad was tossed table-side so there was no separate dressing. Making the dressing on it's own does allow you to make some ahead of time and put the salad together when you want to. This recipe has been simplified for our younger students in the Teaching Kitchen.
  • CourseDressing
  • CuisineTeaching Kitchen Recipes
Servings Prep Time
1 pint 10 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 pint 10 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 Egg yolk at room temperature
  • 1 clove Fresh garlic ground
  • pinch Course salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 2 tbsp Fresh lemon juice or key lime juice (in original recipe)
  • 2-3 drops Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1/4 cup Good extra virgin olive oil any neutral oil will work
  • 4-6 tbsp Parmesan cheese fresh grated with microplane
Servings: pint
Instructions
  1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the salt and garlic cloves into a fine paste.
  2. Add lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and work into the garlic paste.
    Add lemon juice and worcestershire sauce to garlic paste
  3. Whisk in the egg yolk until the mixture is starting to thicken.
    incorporate egg yolk
  4. Slowly drizzle olive oil into the mixture while continuing to whisk steadily.
  5. Once everything is well combined, whisk the Parmesan cheese into the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste - Caesar dressing is commonly made with anchovies which bring a lot of salt to the recipe so without anchovies it may need some additional salt.
    add grated parmesan cheese
  6. To make the Caesar Salad toss hearts of romaine and croutons adding the dressing a little at a time until well coated. Plate the salad and dress with additional Parmesan cheese.
    dress salad and toss to coat
Share this Recipe

Making this dressing as described above is a great way to store the dressing for later. The original salad was dressed one salad at a time, maybe to serve 3 or 4 people at a table. If you want to make a show of serving your Caesar Salad, say for a parent participation night or a cooking demo, you can follow the original table-side process.

Crush a clove of garlic and pour your oil over it in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 30 minutes so the garlic flavor can become infused in the oil.

If you are going to prepare your own croutons, use a baguette to cut your croutons (whatever size you want), brush them with some of the garlic infused oil and bake for 10-12 minutes in the oven until golden brown.

In a large bowl, start with the tender hearts of romaine lettuce (cleaned, patted dry and chilled in the fridge). Add salt and pepper and mix the salad by rolling the salad (not tossing). Pour a small amount of the oil over the lettuce, add the egg yolk then the lemon (or key lime) juice and mix thoroughly (remember to roll, not toss, this makes the dressing emulsify around the leaves). Add a few drops of the Worcestershire sauce and toss lightly. Then grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the salad and toss gently. Lastly, add your croutons and give the salad one last toss making sure everything has a good coat of the dressing.

Serve on chilled plates and dress with additional grated Parmesan and a little cracked black pepper.

finished Caesar Salad

Filed Under: Recipes, Teaching Kitchen Recipes Tagged With: Caesar Salad Dressing, dressing, emulsification, microplane, salad, Teaching Kitchen, whisk

About Dave Creech

I am a Husband, Foodie and Entrepreneur striving to live healthier and happier through better food and outdoor living. I started my Urban Garden in early 2013 in an effort to grow as much of my own food as possible. I am continually learning to live more simply, waste less, be more efficient and generally build a better skill set.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Search All Lessons

Our Lessons are organized into three levels. With our Detailed Search, you can drill down to the Lessons you need most.

Filter by Lesson Number, format, keyword, or rating.

  • Search Beginner Lessons
  • Search Intermediate Lessons
  • Search Advanced Lessons

© 2022 Edible Learning Lab | Site by Vestor Logic