Gordon Ramsay's Ultimate Caesar Salad

Summary

This video script offers a modern twist on the classic Caesar salad, starting with a homemade mayonnaise base infused with anchovies and garlic, then elevating it with citrusy flavors from lemon juice and parmesan. The crunchy croutons are made from crusty bread, seasoned and fried to perfection with a cheesy finish. The salad is assembled with romaine lettuce, dressed with the tangy anchovy mayo, and topped with croutons and more parmesan. The recipe is further enhanced by grilling chicken breasts for a smoky flavor, served warm to complement the salad without wilting the lettuce. The result is a delicious and updated take on an American lunchtime favorite.

Takeaways

• 🥗 The video presents a modern take on the classic Caesar salad, emphasizing the importance of maintaining its original brilliance while introducing new elements.
• 🍳 The base of the Caesar salad dressing starts with a homemade mayonnaise made from egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar, which is then thickened by whisking in olive oil.
• 🍅 The dressing is enhanced with the addition of anchovies, garlic, grated Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and a splash of water to create a light, citrusy flavor profile.
• 🍞 Croutons are made from crusty bread, seasoned with salt and pepper, fried in olive oil until golden, and then coated with grated Parmesan cheese for added crunch and flavor.
• 🥬 Romaine lettuce is used for the salad base and should not be sliced too thinly to maintain its crisp texture.
• 🍋 A squeeze of lemon is added to the lettuce before mixing in the dressing and croutons to prevent the lettuce from becoming soggy.
• 🧀 Parmesan cheese is grated generously over the assembled salad to add a sharp, savory note.
• 🔥 The chicken breast is prepared by butterflying it to ensure even cooking and moistness, then seasoned and grilled to achieve a smoky flavor from the griddle marks.
• 🍖 The grilled chicken is served warm and separate from the salad to prevent the lettuce from wilting, and is drizzled with the remaining anchovy dressing for added flavor.
• 🔪 The chicken is sliced into strips and served as a complement to the salad, enhancing the overall dish with its juicy texture and smoky seasoning.
• 🌟 The Caesar salad is described as an American classic and one of the most popular salads worldwide, with the video's version aiming to maintain its deliciousness while adding a unique twist.

Q & A

What is the main dish described in the script?

The main dish described in the script is Caesar salad, an iconic American salad.

How does the chef suggest modernizing the Caesar salad?

The chef suggests modernizing the Caesar salad by tweaking the dressing and adding elements like anchovies, crushed garlic, and parmesan cheese without losing the essence of the original dish.

What is the first step in making the Caesar salad dressing according to the script?

The first step in making the Caesar salad dressing is to create a basic mayonnaise with egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and a splash of red wine vinegar.

What additional ingredients are used to enhance the mayonnaise for the Caesar salad dressing?

To enhance the mayonnaise, the chef adds anchovies, crushed garlic, grated parmesan, lemon juice, and a splash of water.

What type of bread does the chef recommend for making croutons?

The chef recommends using crusty bread for making croutons to add extra crunch.

How should the bread be prepared for croutons in the Caesar salad?

The bread should be diced, seasoned with salt and pepper, fried in a hot pan with olive oil until golden, and then grated with parmesan cheese.

What type of lettuce is used in the Caesar salad according to the script?

Romaine lettuce is used in the Caesar salad, and it should not be sliced too thinly.

How does the chef suggest preparing the chicken for the Caesar salad?

The chef suggests butterflying the chicken breast by slicing from the thin end towards the thick end, seasoning it with salt and ground pepper, and grilling it on a griddle pan.

What does the chef do to enhance the flavor of the grilled chicken?

The chef enhances the flavor of the grilled chicken by spooning over the remaining anchovy dressing while the chicken rests.

How should the chicken be served with the Caesar salad?

The chicken should be served warm in a separate bowl to prevent it from wilting the salad, and it should be sliced into strips.

What is the chef's final touch to the Caesar salad before serving?

The chef's final touch is to add a good grating of parmesan cheese on top of the salad.

Outlines

00:00

🥗 Modern Caesar Salad Recipe Introduction

The video starts with a music introduction and the presenter's intention to modernize the classic Caesar salad, a dish almost a century old. The presenter emphasizes the importance of tweaking traditional dishes to keep them relevant without losing their original brilliance. The first step is to create a unique dressing by starting with a basic mayonnaise made from egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar, which is then emulsified with olive oil to achieve a thick, creamy texture.

🍞 Making the Perfect Croutons

The presenter then moves on to making croutons, which are a key component of the Caesar salad. They suggest using crusty bread for extra crunch and dicing it up before seasoning with salt and pepper. The bread is then fried in olive oil until golden brown. To add flavor, the presenter recommends grating generous amounts of Parmesan cheese onto the croutons as they fry, ensuring they are well coated and do not stick together.

🥗 Assembling the Caesar Salad

Next, the presenter describes the process of assembling the Caesar salad. Romaine lettuce is used without being sliced too thinly, and a squeeze of lemon is added along with half of the prepared anchovy mayonnaise dressing. The remaining croutons are sprinkled on top, and the salad is mixed well. The final touch is a generous grating of Parmesan cheese to complete the salad. The presenter also mentions that they will take the dish to another level by grilling a chicken breast.

🍗 Grilling Chicken Breast for Caesar Salad

The presenter explains how to butterfly a chicken breast for quick and even cooking, resulting in a moist and flavorful center. The chicken is seasoned with salt and ground pepper and then grilled on both sides until it has attractive griddle marks and a smoky flavor. After resting, the chicken is brushed with the remaining anchovy dressing to further enhance its taste. The presenter serves the chicken warm in a separate bowl to prevent the salad from wilting and adds a final touch of dressing before serving.

🌟 Conclusion and Reflection on the Caesar Salad

In conclusion, the presenter reflects on the Caesar salad, considering it an American classic and one of the most popular salads worldwide. They express their belief that their version, with its modern twists on traditional elements, remains delicious and true to the essence of the original dish.

Keywords

💡Caesar Salad

Caesar Salad is a classic American dish that originated almost a century ago. It is typically made with romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, and a dressing that traditionally includes garlic, lemon juice, and anchovies. In the video, the chef aims to modernize this dish while preserving its original brilliance, making it a central theme of the video.

💡Dressing

In culinary terms, a dressing is a sauce used to flavor salads. The script describes the process of making a basic mayonnaise, which is then enhanced with ingredients like anchovies and garlic to create a unique Caesar salad dressing. The dressing is crucial to the flavor profile of the salad and is a key element in the chef's recipe.

💡Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is a thick, creamy condiment made with egg yolks, oil, and an acid like vinegar or lemon juice. In the script, the chef starts by making a basic mayonnaise, which serves as the foundation for the Caesar salad dressing. The mayonnaise is thickened by whisking egg yolks with Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar before slowly adding olive oil to achieve a creamy texture.

💡Anchovies

Anchovies are small, salty fish that are often used in cooking for their strong flavor. In the video, anchovies are finely chopped and combined with garlic to create a puree that is then mixed into the mayonnaise, adding a distinct umami flavor to the Caesar salad dressing.

💡Garlic

Garlic is a widely used flavoring agent in cooking, known for its pungent aroma and taste. The script mentions crushed garlic as an ingredient in the dressing, which, when combined with anchovies, contributes to the savory flavor of the Caesar salad.

💡Parmesan

Parmesan is a hard, granular cheese that is typically used in grated form to add flavor and texture to dishes. In the video, parmesan is used in two ways: as a topping for the croutons and as a finishing touch on the salad, enhancing the overall taste and adding a sharp, salty note.

💡Croutons

Croutons are small cubes of bread, typically made from crusty bread, that are seasoned and fried until crispy. In the script, the chef makes croutons by dicing up bread, seasoning it, and frying it in olive oil. The croutons are then coated with grated parmesan cheese, adding a crunchy texture and cheesy flavor to the salad.

💡Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce is a type of leaf lettuce known for its crisp texture and slightly bitter taste. It is the traditional lettuce used in Caesar salads. In the video, the chef instructs not to slice the lettuce too thinly, ensuring that each bite of the salad has a fresh, crisp quality.

💡Butterfly Chicken Breast

Butterflying a chicken breast involves cutting it horizontally to create a thinner, larger piece that cooks more evenly. In the script, the chef butterflys the chicken breast to ensure it cooks quickly and remains moist. This technique is used to add another layer of flavor and texture to the Caesar salad by grilling the chicken.

💡Griddle Pan

A griddle pan is a type of cooking surface that is flat and usually made of cast iron, known for its ability to provide even heat and create distinct grill marks on food. In the video, the chef preheats a griddle pan to cook the butterfly chicken breast, imparting a smoky flavor and attractive grill lines.

💡Seasoning

Seasoning refers to the process of adding flavor to food through the use of herbs, spices, and other flavorings. In the script, the chef seasons the chicken breast with salt and ground pepper before grilling, enhancing the natural flavor of the chicken and complementing the other components of the salad.

Highlights

The Caesar salad is a classic American dish, first made almost a century ago, but can be modernized without losing its original brilliance.

Start the dressing by making a basic mayonnaise with egg yolks, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar.

Drizzle olive oil into the mixture to achieve a thick, creamy texture similar to double cream.

Enhance the mayonnaise with anchovies, crushed garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, and a splash of water to create a light, citrusy dressing.

Use crusty bread for croutons, seasoned with salt and pepper, and fry them in a hot pan with olive oil.

Grate Parmesan cheese over the croutons while they fry, making them cheesy and delicious.

Assemble the salad with romaine lettuce, not sliced too thinly, and mix in half of the anchovy mayo dressing.

Sprinkle half of the croutons into the salad before mixing, ensuring everything is well dressed.

Finish the salad with the remaining croutons and a good grating of Parmesan cheese.

Take the salad to another level by grilling a butterflied chicken breast, which cooks quickly and remains moist.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper before grilling it for three to four minutes on each side, creating lovely smoky stripes.

After grilling, let the chicken rest and spoon some of the remaining anchovy dressing over it.

Slice the chicken into strips and serve it warm in a separate bowl to prevent wilting the salad.

Finish the dish by adding a final touch of dressing to the salad, keeping it fresh and flavorful.

The Caesar salad remains one of the most popular and delicious salads worldwide, retaining its classic appeal.

Transcripts

[Music]

next job main course and my take on an

iconic

american salad first made almost a

century ago

caesar salad is definitely a classic

but the trick to keeping dishes like

this modern and relevant

is to tweak them but not lose what made

them brilliant in the first place

here's my version for the ultimate

american lunch

my first twist is in the dressing begin

by making a basic mayonnaise

start off with the egg yolks in just

a little spoon dijon and then a little

splash

of red wine vinegar start whisking

once you've got that nice slightly

thickened texture

drizzling your olive oil

should fall through your whisk

it's like a nice thick double cream

texture

beautiful now take the mayo to another

level with anchovies

and crushed garlic now chop up

the anchovies and the garlic together so

we almost want that to be like a really

nice

puree then grated parmesan lemon juice

that will make the dressing

citrusy and then a little splash of

water

in

all of a sudden it transforms that

mayonnaise into an amazing

delicious light dressing

nice next job the croutons and i like

using crusty bread for extra crunch

and just dice up your bread season with

salt and pepper

then add to a hot pan with olive oil and

fry

give that a really nice toss as the

croutons start to turn golden

simply grate on a generous amount of

parmesan cheese keep them rolling around

stop them from sticking together look at

that really nice cheesy

delicious crouton and now

they're out now for the fun job

assembling the caesar salad starting

with romaine lettuce

and don't slice the lettuce

too thinly a squeeze of lemon on with

half of that gutsy

anchovy mayo dressing saving some to

coat your chicken later

then sprinkle half your croutons give

that

a really nice mix salad in

it's all beautifully dressed add the

remaining croutons and finish with a

good grating of parmesan cheese

that for me is a perfect caesar salad

however

i'm going to take it to another level

and grill a stunning

chicken breast start by preheating your

griddle pan

then butterfly your chicken breast

simply slice from the thin end towards

the thick bit

of the breast let the knife do the work

and literally just

open up now that's how we butterfly

a chicken breast so therefore it will

cook twice as quick

and just nice and moist in the center

season the chicken on both sides with

salt and ground pepper

lay your chicken breast onto the grill

cook for three to four minutes on each

side until the chicken's got those

lovely stripes from the griddle which

adds a gorgeous smoky flavor

whilst they rest spoon over some of the

remaining anchovy dressing

the chicken cools down the flavour the

seasoning of the anchovy

the garlic and the palm zone seeps into

that chicken slice the chicken into

strips

wow i serve the chicken warm in a

separate bowl

so it doesn't wilt the salad just bring

the dressing

finished out with a little touch of

dressing

an american classic i think one of the

most popular salads anywhere in the

world

but it's still one of the most delicious

[Music]