Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Chipotle Caesar Dressing

Who knew that making your own salad dressing was this easy and yummy? My friend Shelley gave me the idea for this Caesar Dressing, and I couldn't resist putting this on my blog ASAP. There are so many variations of Caesar Dressing out there, some are more of a vinaigrette, some are super creamy, some are tangy and this one... is caliente!

For this Chipotle Caesar Dressing you will need:
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon pureed canned chipotles
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon capers
5 anchovy fillets
8 cloves garlic

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

(the kosher salt snuck into that picture, not sure where it came from.)
 
I use so much olive oil in this kitchen that I finally just broke down and bought one large jug of the stuff. Because of olive oil's high monounsaturated fat content, it can be stored longer than most other oils -- as long as it's stored properly. When choosing your storage location, remember that heat, air, and light are the enemies of oil. 
 
Instead of using anchovy fillets you could also purchase anchovy paste, which would have made more sense for me since I had to enlist Jim's help with this step. I will eat them in salad dressing, but I will NOT touch them.

The reason I like this recipe so much is that I put everything in the cuisinart blender with the exception of the olive oil and red wine vinegar. You simply need two measuring spoons: a tablespoon and a teaspoon, then start measuring out the ingredients.  This dressing is made very quickly.

Blend the first nine ingredients until chopped, then with the blender running, slowly pour in the olive oil, then the red wine vinegar. Taste for seasoning, and if you find the consistency too thick, you can always add water a tablespoon at a time until it's just the way you like it.

Add freshly shaved parmesan to the top along with some crunchy croutons...Wow! I thought this was a GREAT spicy Caesar and loved the way the chipotle peppers gave the dressing a smokey flavor. This could easily become my favorite salad for dinner, just add a grilled chicken breast or a few cooked shrimp on top.

My recipe inspiration comes from Bobby Flay's Grilled Romaine Salad on FN.  Looking for more salad dressing recipes? Check out this Homemade Ranch Dressing that also uses chipotle peppers to give it some heat. Bon Appetit!

2 comments:

  1. Mmm...looks good! Did you have any dressing left over? If so, how did you store it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I did have leftover dressing and I put it in a small lidded container in the fridge. My husband and I finished it up within just a few days.

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