Caesar dressing from scratch......why and why not.....? - Page 2

 

Progress? We live in a world of chain he** fast food and "Chef's" with madd can opening and micorwave skillz.

I never order Ceaser out any more unless they are made table side or I know the Chef/establishment.

I'd venture a guess the Ceaser has been more bastagized than any other classic.

It's been de-constructed, re-constructed, foamed, frozen and generally convoluted in every concievable way.

I still prefer the classic.

 

Dave

Thanks. You are correct.  Mayo averages 90, butter 100, beef, chicken and DuckFat :-))~ 115 and oil 120 so average is 106?

The average number of calories per tbs of the "fats" you named might be 106; but that's got nothing to do with the "average" number of calories for all "fats." Math is a little bit more demanding than you'd have it, and you're using the term "fats" so loosely that it's pretty much devoid of meaning.

If it helps you to think of a tbs of "fat" as around 100 cal for fast and dirty calculations, than it helps you.

BDL

 

Hey!! what about caviar?  You know, ceaser caviar with shrimp foam....served with a trio tasting plate of various dips....

Sh*tty idea, scrap that.  Nothing's been sous-vided, that's why.  Maybe we could kind of deconstruct it, "fry" an anchovy filet on the ol' anti-griddle, delicately perched on a cilantro and milk chocolate infused brioche slice.....yeah, that's it!!, surrounded by the ceaser caviar and sous-vided quail egg yolks with a caper brunoise. Oh, and the trio of dipping sauces....

 

 

Yeah, yeah, I know, I KNOW, the meds only work if I take 'em every day.  I know, alright?!!!!

I think I may delete some of the names and then print this thread... keep it in my knife roll ... never show it to anyone but pull it out when all is going to shit and then laugh and get back at it!

 

(delete the names only in case someone steals my tools)

 

:P

 

 

Wait Duck fat is less than EVOO?  Extra duck fat frites for every one!

(hold the ceaser)

 

 

Dave

here's a new one i just saw in the store...caesar salad dressing VINAIGRETTE...go figure!

hmmm.... duckfat fries with classic ceasar dressing(aioli) as a dipping sauce....you may be on to something!  actually i use my classic styled caesar dressing as a dip for all sort of things...served with crudites, portobello fries or to brush on grilled shrimp, fish or vegetables.  yes, it is probably one of the most if not the most fattening dressing there is, but not all the fats are saturated, like the evoo...it's really only the eggs.......plus, it's not like you're eating a bucket of it right?  not even close to the fat consumed in a steak for instance....guess if you had a ceasar salad and a steak and a baked potato with all the fixins' you'd be racking up some fat points.......sorry, where were we?

joey

Edited by durangojo - 5/17/12 at 8:04am

I'm in!

I really prefer to make it by hand, I hate the too salty, extra creamy (why is it white??!!), where is my garlic and anchovy pre-made dressings that claim to be Cesar. on a side note this is the only salad I really like to make Parmesan lace doilies for. some chopped romaine a few croutons and then a couple of lace parmesan crisps and a nice drizzle of dressing. nummy.

speaking of anchovies, i just read that once opened, anchovies, while may keep indefinitely, are best if consumed within 2 weeks as they become very pungent. anchovies are a staple in my fridge and i have never noticed any extra pungency.....what would cause that to happen if they are packed in olive oil or salt? any clues or guesses?

joey

Anchovies kept for over 2 weeks?  Interesting concept...

 

mjb.

Salted anchovies are sold here loose and in the can.  The idea is they last forever, practically.  They then get washed and put in oil, but that's another anchovy.  If you can find the salted ones, they're amazing (dry, with salt crystals to scrape and wash off, and you have to debone them yourself, though it's not hard.  They do last for months, out of the fridge.  That was the original purpose

i was referring to the 1 # can, not the single serving size!!!!!

 

@gunnar, i love parm crisps in my caesar salad..also just to munch on with a glass of vino. don't know why i don't make them more often. i really can't think of one thing that is easier to make...it's almost like cheating. caesar salad is on tonight's menu at home so will make the crisps instead of croutons...thanks for the reminder...ooh, just thinking how good they would be in a grilled caesar as well. hmmm.....decisions, decisions...

joey

I buy 8 or 10 ounce cans of oil packed anchovies.  RealSoonNow I'm going to pick up some salt packed ones, a couple of the good Italian delis here in SLC have them.

 

mjb.

I keep anchovies in olive oil in my fridge too. I just keep them topped off with fresh oil. Awhile ago I bought a gigantic can very inexpensively from a European food warehouse here--more than could possibly be used in a few days time. They've been in my fridge for a long and they taste fine to me, although I haven't used them in a salad dressing. I usually have them cooked in something.

You are all overlooking the obvious reason why Anchovy isnt used in mass produced Caesar dressings anylonger,  ALLERGENS!!!  The FDA declared Anchovies and Fin Fish a class 2 allergen within the Top 8 several years ago and as such most manufacturers stopped keeping them in inventory.  There are huge HACCP steps and GMP's that have to be in place to keep allergens today and when they are a top 8 its even harder.  Separate storage areas, wash down procedures, specific packaging requirements, labeling qualifictions, EXPENSIVE testing that must be done for every batch run that shift whether it has allergens in it or not(as part of most HACCP plans)....  Its costly, time consuming and inefficient...  We walked away from large pieces of biz about 6 years ago when Pine Nuts were officially made a Peanut allergen (we made TONS of Pesto every month where I worked and stopped when that happened) and again 2 years ago when the FDA decided that Coconuts were a nut, really.  Coconuts are a class 1 allergen according to our Govt since it has the word Nut in the name and grows on a tree, go figure...

Interesting...

 

Wonder how Worcesterhire sc. and fish sauce slip under the radar?  One is made from fermented anchovies and tamarind, the other from fermented fish guts....

Not to dispute chefhow who sees all knows all, but my guess is that anchovies fell from favor not for health reasons, but because so many diners find them "icky."

Modern commercial/chain-restaurant style Caesar is creamy, mildly garlicky, and (stale) cheesy. It lacks the lemon and olive oil flavors which make Caesar taste like Caesar. Not to mention the body and richness from egg and anchovy.

"Original" Caesar dressing, ala Caesar Cardini's (near Tijuana back in the day), is also somewhat lacking. It's relatively subdued at least compared to the "classic" Caesars of the fifties and sixties, lacking intensity and fundament. Speaking of fundament... that's what chopped or mashed anchovies in the dressing do. Whole anchovies served on top, or large pieces mixed into the salad (as opposed into the dressing) are something else again. They bring a wonderful salty, melt-in-your-mouth fishiness. Great, if you like that sort of thing. Which I do.

BDL

I seriously doubt that the FDA made Anchovies an allergen because people thought they were "icky" as you say.  Its a nightmare as a developer and corp chef to have to navigate your way thru every companies special requests and requirements.

 

As to Worchestershire and Fish Sauce, not all fish sauces are made the same.  Most Worchestershire sauces that contain Anchovies have had to be labeled with the allergen in the last 12 months. Coconut will have to be labeled in the next 3-5 since they have a grace period allowing companies to phase in label changes.

 

Oh and BDL, I dont ever claim to know all and see all, I just have to deal with this EVERY day for work, my info and source of that info is the FDA and I have my contact on speed dial.  Its sort of like you are the resident see all and know all of everything else on the site...

What is actually going on here? 

 

Unfortunately smiles and tones of voice are not transmitted in written posts, so comments about seeing all and knowing all can be taken as insults (perhaps intended as such, and perhaps not), and at the same time, the comment that something "falls from favor" has not much to do with allergens, but with popularity, which probably diminished before the fish became considered an allergen.  So what are you guys arguing about?  Who's smarter or what happened to anchovies?

 

Sorry, maybe I'm the one out of place here. 

Its very simple, a question was asked and opinions were given.  Somebody didnt like another persons opinion so they became inflamatory, or at least that is how more than one person read it. I'm going to leave all opinions to the experts.

Deleted

Actually, it was meant as a compliment. So much for good intentions.

BDL

Didn't sound overly complimentary, a bit more like sarcasm, actually.

If it was then it was the most back handed compliment I have ever recieved and I apologize for taking it out of context.

Oh you guys :D
 

I love me some Anchovy.  Recently I opened a can of their big brothers: Sarde Salate from Sicily for the first time....wow!  Still haven't gone full out on a dish because, well, I'm probably the only one in the family that will like them in that capacity...although my one son might...so for now they have been mostly used like a seasoning in dressings, and I did cut up some for on top of pizza.  But I digress....all dressings from scratch are not even in the same category as anything canned/bottled.  You can buy ok stuff that is passable.  My view is that who wants passable when you can have exceptional?

It is great that your helping your son develop  his palate. My folks did that to us at a very early age and it was the best thing they every did for us. I am crazy about the saltiness of them.

 

Petals.

actually zoebisch i do have  a few lovely salad dressings(vinaigrettes) that i bottle and sell through my restaruant, so i know they're good... the difference being of course is that mine are made without preservatives or stabilizers.  they need to be refrigerated so the tough nut is to try and get refrigerated space in a supermarket. our local health food store will sell them for me as well which is great, but before i can mass produce them, it's back to the drawing board......any ideas?

joey

Was at my niece's place for dinner and I saw her seasoning the bowl (metal -not wood) and I had to take a pic. She is 26 but I was proud to see her making the salad the way  ( I think  )   it should be made.

 

 Does everyone still season the bowl ? I don't know ......