My favourite part of a dinner is usually the salad.
And yeah. I know that makes me sound like a total girl. But I am a girl. Who likes salad.
Don't get me wrong. I'm also fond of a big hunk of seared steak, a roast chicken and any manner of potatoes.
There's just something fresh and crisp and satisfying about a salad.
For some reason, however, for our big family get together dinners, we don't usually serve salads. If I were to venture a guess I'd say it's because we're lazy. For some reason that one little thing, the salad, is enough to put us all over the edge in terms of what we can handle for a dinner. The fact that we sometimes set each other on fire by accident doesn't help either. Our family dinners are quite spectacular.
It's JUST TOO MUCH I tell you.
The only one who ever served salad with our family dinners was my sister Penelope (not her real name because I heard once you weren't supposed to use your family members real names in blogs ... I have no idea why).
Easter is her holiday, and for Easter dinner she always used to serve these Caesar Salad Leaves. Until she stopped for some unknown reason. They were easy to make, easy to serve and easy to eat. You don't even need an extra fork for them, just your fingers and a mouth. And teeth. Teeth definitely help.
They also make a great appetizer for the exact same reasons. Caesar Salad as a finger food! (I find everything's a finger food when you're alone. 'Cept maybe soup.)
All you need are the smaller inner leaves of some romaine lettuce, some caesar salad dressing and some croutons.
Drizzle your leaves with some salad dressing and drop a few croutons on top. Perhaps top with a little pepper and grated parmesan cheese. AND BACON!! Looking at this picture I JUST realized I forgot the bacon. Please tell me you'll add bacon! Real bacon.
Granted, I was in a bit of a hurry when I was taking these pictures and they don't look nearly as appetizing as they taste, but they're really good.
They're especially good as an appetizer before a big family dinner because they aren't too filling.
There's nothing worse than going to someone's house for dinner and gorging yourself on cheese, polish sausage and crackers to the point of being sickened by the thought of now having to eat an entire meal. Not that I've done that before. I'm always very conscientious about this sort of thing and only eat small lady-like portions of anything presented to me.
Ahem.
Now after I've said all this business about what a great a "pre" dinner snack these little Caesar Salad leaves are, I should let you know ... I actually eat my salad at the end of the meal. Kind of like a leafy dessert.
Because like I said, my favourite part of the dinner is usually the salad. Unless you're serving steak.
I just tried this last night and it was a big hit with the family. My two year old was so excited to be encouraged to eat something with her hands and instead of the typical "no green...no like this" she gave me a kiss and asked "more?"! If it wins over a two year old it must be amazing.
I first experienced the fingerling Caesar salad at a resort in Mexico. I loved it! Now, it certainly didn't hurt that the chef made the dressing in small batches from scratch. The croutons were also homemade from his daily bread. Spoiled? Oh ya...
This post inspired me the other day, so over the weekend I made it (I too, forgot the bacon .. DRAT! Double drat because I'm pregnant and REALLY REALLY LIKE BACON RIGHT NOW).
Although at first my husband was all, "That is stupid, why can't you just put it in a bowl?" And I was all, "Because asshat, that requires effort!!"
He was totally sold when presented with his finger food Caesar salad and now agrees that it is possibly the most brilliant idea in salad since the Waldorf.
The minimal plate messing also appealed to him as he is the dishwasher.
Next time I'll remember the bacon, thus removing any additional doubt anyone may have over whether or not this is the GREATEST SALAD IDEA EVER.
Thanks Karen!
When I'm alone, soup becomes a beverage.
Okay... Confessions. I am almost 22 years old, and I don't like vegetables! Not a one! Vegetables just don't look like food to me... Although every once in a while, salad smells good. I bet your caesar salad finger foods smell delish :D Even though I gag at the thought of actually eating anything green D: I think you may need to write a "The Art of Getting Picky Eaters to Eat Veggies" post for me :D
O.K. Alexandra. You must like ONE vegetable! There has to be a single vegetable that you eat (either raw or cooked). Let me know and I'll get you on track. Otherwise you'll die of the scurvy. And .... GO! Seriously. I'm sitting here waiting ....
Sweet potatoes? Do those count? LOL
O.K. Alexandra I have an assignment for you. I would like you to try eating carrots this week. If you like a sweet potato you'll like a glazed carrot. Apparently you like sweet ... So ... slice them and then boil or steam them. When you insert a knife and the knife pulls right out they're done. Then drain them, put 1 tbsp of butter in the pan and mix it around until it's melted and covers the carrots. Then add 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, honey or maple syrup. Let it cook a teensy bit to create a glaze and then eat them. Eat them right down. If you can eat a sweet potato you can eat a carrot. That is your assignment. You have one week. :) ~ karen
Yum!! But I think they need a sprinkling of crumbled bacon (and maybe a bit of grated parmesan cheese)!
LOL. Diane! I think you may have skimmed the post in all the excitement! I mention the grated parmesan and the bacon! You're right. The caesar salad leaves definitely benefit from both! ~ karen
That looks very crisp and delicious. I usually eat my salad (lettuce) like chips and dip it in dressing. For some reason sometimes people find this upsetting/displeasing. Now there will be a whole group of us doing it!
nom nom nom...tasty!
I have also serves mini casera appetizers in premade bacon cups. That's right. The hardest part about this recipe is not eating all the bacon cups before your guests arrive.
http://theculinarychase.blogspot.com/2009/12/two-bite-caesar-salads.html
Minus the shrimp because shrimp are gross and do not belong in a caesar salad.
er- that's serveD. Feel free to edit my posts.
Sorry. Figured you were just drunk. I'm TOTALLY gonna make those bacon cups. I wonder if it would work w/ bacon as opposed to pancetta. And no to the shrimp in the caesar salad. And of course I'm gonna use my own caesar salad recipe because I LOVE it.
BACON! Everything is better with bacon! I recently found a local Butcher who makes the most fantastic smoked bacon! Stays nice and straight when you cook it and has less grease! NOM!
REAL bacon, not Canadian bacon?
Heh! Blech. I can't stand Canadian bacon. Weird, eh? ~ karen
I'm with you. I don't like it either. Too dry and tasteless. Maybe, someone can tell me the reason they like it and I'm missing something.
It reminds me of tongue.😆 ~ karen!
While I'm not a girl, I do love a good Caesar salad. These look like something from Food Network.
Karen
Are you sure you are not part Italian? I believe they eat their salad at the end of their meal. I come from a large family and salad is a must, so at a family gathering there it is, a gargantuate(is this really a word and if it is, is this how you spell it?)salad on the table and I mean real LARGE for all to mooooow down on. Yum! Oh ya, we eat it at any time, before, inbetween, during, after and even soggy the next day. Bon Apetit!
I know for a fact that ze French serve ze salad course after the entree. I always thought it kind of made sense, having something light and crispy after the heavy stuff. But then, they always have a cheese course, too... and dessert. THEN, coffee. AFTER dessert. Never with. (Zat is not done.)
The Caesar salad fingerlings will be showing up in my repertoire for sure!
i too love salad especially caesar salad if its made right. homemade croutons are a must! and yes REAL bacon...anything less is a travesty
Yeah salads. I missed missed them when I was in Ghana where all food was cooked (for health reasons, I think.} And yes, fingers and put the soup in a mug.
I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoy your site! The combination of (out loud) laughter and strangely fascinating info is truly unique. I think the whole experience is enhanced for me because although I live in Kentucky, I'm from T.O. so I feel the kindred Canadian thing (even though I can't define it - which is SO Canadian).
Thanks!!
Thanks Jacqui! The phrase "strangely fascinating info" made me laugh. I guess that's a good description! ~ karen!
Yum! Good idea -salads are my favorite part of the meal too.
Lisa - You must also be a girl! :) ~ karen