Father’s Day. A time to honor and celebrate the wonderful dads and father figures in our lives. My Dad is one amazing guy. From day one he has been my rock, my teacher, and my constant champion.
I have very early memories of going to the park in the toddler seat on the back of his bike. During my tween years, he coached my sports teams, and made sure to take the time to celebrate with or console each team member after a win or a loss. As a I learned to navigate and balance my world as a college student, a young professional woman, and as a mother, he was always there. My Dad never hovered. He allowed me to spread my wings, to think for myself, and to reach for the stars. But I’ve always known that he’s been there for me on the not-too-distant sidelines. He’s ready to offer a listening ear and advice if asked, or a shoulder to cry on when I’ve fallen down, and had a hard time getting back up.
I have so many wonderful memories, experiences and gifts from our relationship that I will forever treasure. One of my favorite experiences – one that I have started to pass onto my own children – is time spent together in the kitchen, preparing a meal. The ability to have confidence and create in the kitchen is a gift from my Dad. He is a fabulous cook, and I’ve been his sous chef from as far back as I can remember. We have spent countless hours in the kitchen, or by the grill together. He taught me how to season and cook seafood to perfection, grill the perfect steak, and whip up homemade salad dressings from scratch.
My favorite meal has always been Dad’s homemade Caesar Salad. We would make it together on the weekends before a family dinner, or when friends would come over for a meal. Sometimes our friends would help us make it, too. When I became engaged, my Dad invited my now husband’s entire family over for dinner. He let each of them take part in one of the steps of creating the salad. Then we all sat down and enjoyed a meal together. I don’t think my Dad intended the meal prep to be symbolic in any way, he just loves sharing his passion for cooking. But it’s one of those memories that sticks out in my mind as being a little magical: two families gathered, creating something new together, enjoying a meal that we had all taken part in preparing.
In honor of Father’s Day and my Dad, I’m sharing the recipe with you!
Ingredients*:
- Romaine lettuce
- Good quality Parmesan cheese
- 2-3 cloves Garlic, depending on size
- 2-3 fillets Anchovies {chopped and made into a paste}
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil {up to 1 cup, drizzled}
- Tabasco {2-3 shakes, depending on your taste}
- Salt + Pepper {salt for making garlic into a paste + for taste on top of salad}
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, room temperature
- 4-5 shakes Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 fresh lemon, for juicing
- 1 egg yolk, coddled**
- Croutons, if desired. Homemade is best!
*ensure that all ingredients with the exception of the Romaine, Dijon and egg yolk, are room temperature/not cold. This allows the dressing to emulsify properly.
**some people are very hesitant to use a coddled egg yolk. This is a personal choice. Be sure to source local, farm fresh eggs for best results.
Preparation:
- Chop garlic; sprinkle a thin layer of salt on the cutting board and make garlic into a paste {the layer of salt will help with the garlic smell + taste sticking with you for days after eating. A fun tip!}
- Chop anchovies, and make into a paste {no extra salt needed here!}
- Combine all ingredients except the Olive Oil into a bowl, and gently mix one or twice
- Next, slowly drizzle Olive Oil into bowl while slowly but continuously mixing with a whisk
- Continue to whisk slowly until ingredients emulsify, or combine. Texture should resemble mayonnaise.
- Mix dressing with Romaine
- Shave Parmesan on top to taste
- Salt + Pepper to taste
- Add croutons if desired
- Enjoy!
No matter the occasion, my Dad’s Caesar Salad is a show stopper. I love preparing it myself, but it always tastes better when my Dad is involved! I love that he’s now passing the recipe down to his grandchildren. It warms my heart that my children have the chance to experience my Dad’s cooking legacy first-hand. I know that it will always be a memory and an experience that we will share and treasure together.
Wishing all of our wonderful fathers a Happy Father’s Day!
