Ensalada Caesar with Quinoa

Ceasar Salad with Quinoa

This salad is a classic worldwide, its dressing so famous, it has been commercialized and sold by virtually all household commercial food companies. Ask anyone where this dressing comes from and they will likely first say Italy and then Vegas (Baby!). This classic italian dressing however, comes from no other than Tijuana, Baja California; Roughly 15 minutes south of the US & Mexico border. The restaurant has been in the same place since 1927 and has seen the development of Tijuana through its worst and best times. An ode to Italian cuisine through Mexican creativity.

Ensalada Caesar with Quinoa

Ingredients

Serves X

1/2
cup of uncooked quinoa
1
head romaine lettuce
3
tbsp olive oil
2
small anchovies
1
lime (just the juice)
1
egg yolk
1/2
minced garlic clove
1
tbsp dijon
1
tbsp Worcestershire sauce
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
pinch of salt
parmesan

Instructions

  1. With a sieve, wash the quinoa thoroughly, if you do not rinse all of the starches out, the quinoa becomes very sticky and bitter.
    1. Rule of thumb is one cup of cooked quinoa to 2 cups of water. Start with this, and taste until al dente. Fluffy but not sticky is what I go for.
    2. Drizzle some olive oil and mix to avoid clumping. Set quinoa in the fridge to cool. This can be done up to 12 hours before.
  2. Remove the bottom portion of the lettuce. Cut into half inch pieces.
    1. Wash the lettuce under cold water, then dry. One of these works wonders for that.
  3. Traditionally the Caesar dressing is made in a large wooden bowl, and the ingredients are mixed in one at a time. If you do not have a wooden bowl, any type of bowl will work. The important thing is to do it in stages and mixed with a fork, gently.
    1. First add the yolk, anchovies, and garlic to make a paste.
    2. Next, add the lime juice, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
    3. Drizzle in the olive oil very slowly, mixing constantly with your fork until it emulsifies and resembles a thin mayonnaise in texture.
    4. Add the parmesan last to correct for texture and salt
  4. Mix the quinoa and lettuce, then toss with the sauce. Add crunchy croutons right before serving.
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