Why this dressing skips raw eggs

Mayo: Classic Caesar dressing is usually built on raw egg yolk, but prepared mayonnaise does the same emulsifying job — it’s already stabilized, so there’s no risk of the dressing breaking — and it holds up better if you’re making it a few days ahead.

Romaine lettuce hearts: Their tight core is the whole trick — dense enough to stay intact under direct heat instead of wilting into mush. Here’s the part you may be tempted to skip: Dry the lettuce, really dry it, before it hits the pan. Any water clinging between the leaves turns to steam the second it hits heat, and steam means limp lettuce, not char. Same goes for the oil — don’t be shy with it on the cut side. It’s doing double duty, helping the romaine release clean from the pan and turning the cut layer a deep, toasty gold.

Anchovies: They’re not there to make the dressing taste fishy — when they’re chopped fine and blended into the dressing, they dissolve into a pure savory layer — the same way they melt invisibly into a spicy tomato sauce for baked chicken mozzarella. I go with oil-packed anchovies because they’re more mellow than salt-packed ones, so start with two and add a third if you want more punch. No anchovies on hand? You can skip them entirely, but I like a splash of fish sauce instead. Anchovy paste from a tube tastes overly fishy and metallic, and Worcestershire too heavy-handed.

Whisk, shake or process a punchy dressing

Chop the anchovies into a fine paste — you want them to disappear into the dressing, not show up as chunks.
Combine the anchovy paste with mayo, Dijon, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and both peppers. The mustard and mayo help bind the dressing.

Drizzle in the oil slowly while whisking — adding it too fast is the most common reason emulsions break.
Or skip the arm workout: A food processor or blender emulsifies everything in seconds and gives you a smoother, creamier result than whisking by hand.

Getting real char without a grill

Trim a thin slice off the stem end — keep the stem itself intact, since that’s what holds each half together on the plate.
Pull off and discard outer leaves from the hearts that look damaged or discolored.

Slice each head in half lengthwise through the stem, so both halves stay intact for an even, flat surface for searing.
Drizzle olive oil generously over the cut side. This isn’t the place to be skimpy — the oil brings color and easier release from the pan.
Season the cut side lightly with salt and black pepper.

Heat a large skillet — cast iron or nonstick — over medium-high until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Arrange the romaine cut-side down.
Sear until deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Resist the urge to move them and interrupt the char.

Grilled romaine Caesar salad plated and ready to serve, with a fork and knife and a small bowl of grated Parmesan alongside

Grilled romaine doesn’t want to sit around— serve the salad right away, while the outer leaves are still warm and the center is still cool and crisp — that contrast is the opposite of soggy lettuce.

5 from 10 votes (7 ratings without comment)

4 Comments

Holly says:

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Excellent. We loved it. On top we added sliced olives, good tomatoes-diced, marinated artichoke hearts, bacon crumbles and some crushed croutons. My daughter wolfed her portion down. Love the great flavor that comes from roasting the darker green portion of the romaine that I’m not normally fond of.

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Ciara says:

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This recipe was so tasty, it was my first time making Ceasar dressing and i substitute the packaged anchovies for Asian anchovies/fish sauce, it still came out great.

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1. Karen Tedesco says:
  
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  Fish sauce is a great swap!
  
  Reply
Maddie says:

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So good!!!

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