I have traveled quite a lot and eaten in some of the best restaurants in Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, Boston, etc. but I have never found a Caesar salad to compare to the one at Wil's! It truly is a meal in itself: green, crunchy Romaine wrapped around proscuito, with shavings of Parmesan, and the most flavorful, homemade Caesar dressing. Kudos to Wil's for a unique twist on the Caesar. And thanks for making sure I get some greens while on the island! ha!

Prosciutto in caesar salad? That's an interesting and welcome novelty.

(Message edited by lgreco on July 8, 2009)

That is a unique twist Pauline which I've never had before.Maybe they should call it something other than Caesar Salad. I'm not quite sure how the taste of prosciutto (even if it's from Parma) would go with anchovies.

Like "Caesar Salad with Prosciutto" ?

I've toasted prosciutto in the past and crumbled it over the caesar salad, Vince, and it was good. 4 minutes in the broil setting did the trick, and there was much rejoice among the guests.

Prosciutto on a caeser salad is just WRONG! Extra anchovies please!

(Growing up working in my uncle's deli on Arthur Avenue has heavily influenced my thoughts on how and where prosciutto should be eaten!)

Speaking of anchovies: can anyone tell me where I can find decent white anchovies? Whole Paycheck (aka Whole Foods) sells them but in small quantities with big prices. I am looking for larger quantities and smaller prices.

Believe it or not I have seen a VERY large can in our Costco!

White anchovies at Costco? Be still my heart.

RA, this is a life-critical matter to me. Are you sure they were white anchovies? White anchovies are marinated in vinegar not cured in salt. Are we talking about the same delicacy here?

I believe so Leo...I'm heading there tomorrow, I will verify and report back! I'll even take a picture if they are the correct ones.

(geez, I hope I am right, since it is a life critical matter!)

That will be lovely, thank you. Even the label/brand name will work.

Is there a large Mexican or Spanish community near your Costco. Boquerones (white sardines) are a spanish dish that is also popular in Mexico. (And it's the root to the other variant of acid-cooked seafood, ceviche).

Well Leo, I live in a city in California and there is a large Mexican and Portuguese population, maybe that has something to do with it. We also have lots of Mexican markets, I bet they have them. Now I'm on a quest!!

R.A. Ah..fond memories..It's been several month's since I've been on Arthur Ave in the Bronx.
Coincidently my favorite butcher goes by the name of "Vincents"; great veal shanks for osso bucco.
Next favorite is the Casa Della Mozzarella. And of course some of the pizza on A.A. is to die for!
OK, now I'm hungry even if it's only 6:30 am!

**Leo** I'll take your word for it, although if I had some Prosciutto de Parma I don't think I'd put it under the broiler

I'm wrong! It is Parma Ham--sorry I am not a chef!

Vince, that because you have not tried my cold melon soup that I serve with dry prosciutto.

Please note: Anything else added, it becomes just another salad.

CAESAR SALAD

1 large head romaine lettuce
1 cup olive oil
3 cups French or Italian bread
2 large cloves garlic
8 anchovy filets
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse ground salt
2 egg yolks for large eggs, at room temperature*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved

Trim the romaine lettuce of bruised or browned leaves, then cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Wash and drain the lettuce, pat it dry and refrigerate for 30 minutes to crisp the leaves.
To make the croutons, cut the bread into cubes, heat the 1/2 cup olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Fry the bread cubes in the oil, tossing frequently, until they're crisp and golden. Drain the croutons on a paper towel until ready to use.

Peel the garlic cloves then put in a large wooden salad bowl. Mash the cloves against the sides of the bowl with the back of a wooden spoon. Rub the pieces against the bowl until they begin to disintegrate. Remove most of the mashed garlic from the bowl and discard (oil from the garlic will remain in the bowl and flavor the salad).

Add the anchovies and repeat the procedure you used with the garlic, but leave the anchovy pieces in the bowl. Now add the dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, black pepper, and egg yolks and blend well. Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil mixing with a wire whisk until a creamy mayonnaise type dressing forms.

Add the lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese and salt. Toss everything together and serve directly from the salad bowl!

*Note: The original recipe may have called for coddled whole eggs (warmed to 120F degrees, to coddle simmer in water 1 minute and cool in cold water) so they are soft and runny. Some chefs who make this salad today use the whole egg at room temperature.

Any recipe that calls for 1 cup of olive oil is a-ok in my books

we had a superb dinner last night..Wil has fresh rainbow runner...run to get some. There was also a celebrity in the restaurant last night...hint, they was on Ally Mc Beal..that's all I'm saying..

were...I had the pronoun but decided to keep the info gender neutral..haa

no no no Jerry.In our household you specifically need parmigiano reggiano.
Caesar salad was created in the 1920's & the original contained no anchovies, just a few drops of Worcestershire sauce which is why people started adding anchovies later to mimic the Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies)...believe it or not

Vince very intestering. i would be in the camp no anchovies can't be called Caesar salad. learn something new everyday :-)

HMMMMM, Annie, who could it be?? please tell me it was not Robert Downey Jr. I LOVE HIM!!!! LOL

Vince, Arthur Ave holds fond memories for me! I am going there in August! My mouth is watering already just thinking about it!

On our last trip to Italy I brought back a huge piece of Parmigiano cheese, customs had a bit of a problem with it, they let me keep it though. The customs officer said "wow you must really like cheese, this stinks!"

Vince, are you telling me there is another cheese other then parmigiano reggiano?

RA, you and me, both. I LOVE HIM so much !! He ain't no Seth, but he'd do !

Did you guys ever see him in "Fur: an Imaginary Biography of Diane Arbus"? I can't even begin to tell you what it's about. Except that I didn't know it was RDJ until the end, when she shaved him...

Best salad I ever had...the Big Girl's Dinner in Las Vegas...

RA< I brought a wheel of Gouda back from Curacao and had an interesting conversation with customs....

Kelly! LOL...RD jr and Seth...now that would be a night to remember!

Hmmm....salad to fur in 24 posts....good job guys....

RA, shouldn't you be heading to Costco?

RA!!!!! PM me about your upcoming trip to Arthur Ave!!!! we need to go in there for supplies!!

Leo...I am sorry to report, no white anchovies at Costco today

I will however; continue to look whenever I go into a Mexican grocer (which is about once a week).

Mission NOT accomplished!

Will do Freddie!

Thanks for looking. It's a worthy cause!

Try this.
http://www.amazon.com/Medusa-White-Anchovy-Fillets-200g/dp/B000MT5194/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1247171392&sr=8-3

Jane Krakowski from 30 Rock and I assume Marc Singer, her documentary filmmaker honey...she is tiny and really pretty...

Ann, here's one for the celebrity sighting annals. A couple of years ago, I saw Glenn Close three times in three days: getting her baggage at the airport, at Richard's, and then driving a truck on the tourist road with her grandaughter (she pulled over, honked, and waved). I dreamed I would run into her coming out of the water and say, "Where's those puppies?" ha

RA & Freddie on Arthur Ave. We could have a mini meet and go to Umbertos for clams.. Oopps forgot..dam...I'm going to be on Bonaire for several weeks in Aug..

Oh nice Vince...just when I was thinking I really liked you! How about we trade..you go visit my family and meet Freddie on Arthur Ave and I'll take your place in Bonaire...sound good?

(nothing personal Freddie, ya know I love you!)

Glen Close still gives me the shivers from that movie she did a long time ago about an unfaithful husband. Old brain cannot remember the name of the movie.

And I'm severely off topic! Sorry! (Still posting it though.)

HM <--- Thumbs nose at moderator.

Eric, Fatal Attraction I think