IMMB #25: Give us this day yesterday’s bread – king of salads

Caesar salad was invented in 1924 by Caesar Cardini or one of his associates. Cardini was an Italian restaurateur and chef in Tijuana, Mexico, living in San Diego but working in Tijuana to avoid the restrictions of Prohibition. There are several stories about the specifics of the salad’s creation, none of which can be confirmed. The most common is that it resulted from a Fourth of July rush depleting the kitchen’s supplies, and Cardini made do with what he had, adding the dramatic flair of a table-side tossing. Another is that it was created for a group of Hollywood stars after a long weekend party.
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I like very much croutons, so I decided to participate with this classic in IMMB #25: Give us this day yesterday’s bread , hosted by obsession with food. Of course I did not use simple white bread for the croutons. I used the best loaf I could find: this (homemade).

A crouton is a small piece of dry or fried bread, often seasoned, that is used to add texture and flavour to salads, notably the Caesar salad, and as an accompaniment to soups. The word crouton is derived from the French word „croûte“ meaning „crust“.

The salad is simple but very tasty. I added some tomatoes and avocado, not the original recipe but delicious. The lettuce is from my proper garden. I had to wash it several times. A lot of louses, you know. ;-)

Cesar Salad à la zorra

Croutons
To make the croutons, cut the bread into cubes, heat 1-2 tb olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the bread cubes and a garlic clove in the oil, tossing frequently, until they’re crisp and golden. Drain the croutons on a paper towel until ready to use.

Dressing
1 ts lemon zest
3 tb lemon juice or (2 tb lemon juice 1 tb white balsamico vinagre)
1 ts dijon mustard
1 tb anchovies, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, mashed
4 tb olive oil
1 tb crème fraiche

lettuce
1/2 avocado, cutted into cubes
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 boiled egg

Mix all ingredients for the dressing.

Trim the lettuce of bruised or browned leaves, then cut into 1 1/2 cm pieces. Wash and drain the lettuce, pat it dry and refrigerate for 30 minutes to crisp the leaves.

Add the lettuce, croutons, tomatoes, egg and avocado. Toss everything together and serve directly from the salad bowl! Decorate with some croutons and Parmesan.

Enjoy!