Annie’s Dinner

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The first time I made this dinner I had just moved from Florida to

a summer job working the day shift for a company in the Fulton

Fish Market. I was turning twenty-one, living on the Upper Eastside of

Manhattan, and taking the Second Avenue bus downtown. On one random

day it was with Annie.

The downtown bus was jammed, but I was lucky enough to have a

seat. Annie, with short red-blonde hair, got on in the 60’s. She had the

perfect “working woman” look, and it was hard not to stare as she started

to maneuver her way through the crowd in her tailored suit and high

heels, trying to find a place to stand while hoping for a “miracle seat.”

To my good fortune, I was the one in that seat—giving me New York

City’s best opening line, with a guarantee to lead to further conversation.

I gladly gave her my seat and stood, looking down at her. It was difficult

not to tell her that her mouth was perfect as we talked easily about ourselves

living in the City, and that we both were transplants from somewhere

else. Both of us were headed down to the Wall Street area, about a

half-hour ride, which gave me more time with her, so when the seat next

to her became empty, I grabbed it and looked into Annie’s soft hazel eyes.

We talked about food, restaurants and her all-time favorite dish, grilled

steak medium-rare. This made us laugh, because it was the ’70s after all,

and so many hippies were becoming vegetarians.

I would have ridden to the end of the line with Annie smiling at me,

except my stop came first. So without hesitation, I took her hand (because

I had to touch her) and quickly asked about dinner. She thought it would

be fun and gave me her number. What a way to start the day! We set a

time, and I would call her with the place. When I got to my job, I stood in

the seafood freezer at twenty below, surrounded by cases of shrimps and

lobster tails, but boy, I felt warm all over! I decided dinner had to be at

my place with her favorites. 1970 in New York City was truly amazing,

and Annie and I shared a lot of it.

It all began with this menu:

 

 

 

ANNIE’S DINNER

Caesar Salad

Grilled, Broiled, or Pan Seared Steak

Spicy Candied Yams

Sautéed Spinach & Garlic Butter

Ice Cream Sundae

 

Shopping List

1 lemon

2 heads of garlic

1 can anchovies

1 head of romaine lettuce

1 pkg. pre-made croutons OR see Caesar recipe

for homemade croutons

1 bag of spinach or 2 heads of fresh spinach

2 medium sized yams

Unsalted butter

Any flavor ice cream

Chocolate syrup

1 can whipped cream

1 small jar of maraschino cherries

 

Steaks: Always check with the butcher for premium steaks on sale

top loin (strip) t-bone, porterhouse, rib-eye, rib, and tenderloin
(butchers love to give information).

 

 

 

TRADITIONAL CAESAR SALAD

The Dressing Ingredients

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more to taste)

2 tbsp white wine vinegar (for a variation use white balsamic)

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed with the flat of your

knife blade

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 anchovies minced

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg yoke (optional)

 

 Here’s the easiest ways to separate the yolk from the white: Crack the

egg and drop into your palm with your fingers together. Carefully let the

white slip away through your fingers. Or, use the shell to shell method:
crack the egg and separate the shell halves, pass the egg back and forth

between the halves, letting the white slip out and the yolk remaining in

one half.

 

The Crouton Ingredients

1 cup of croutons homemade or pre-made (never as good)

For homemade follow these directions:

1/2 loaf of Italian bread or 3 slices of

any bread

1/4 stick butter (optional)

1/4 c. olive oil

pinch of salt

2 tbsp. garlic powder

Cut bread into bite-size cubes. Heat pan over medium heat. Add oil

and butter. Place cubes in pan and stir to coat well. Sprinkle with

garlic powder and salt. Turn each piece until cubes are nice and

brown. Using tongs, remove and place on paper towels.

Don’t crack eggs on the side of a bowl, crack on a flat surface to reduce getting pieces of the shell in your eggs.

When using a cutting board place a damp towel underneath to keep it

from moving around.

  

 

 

 1. Remove the bottom of the lettuce and discard the larger outer leaves.
I like to serve this salad as Caesar Cardini did, using the whole leaf
as in the history below, and leaving the medium to small leaves
whole. Rinse and dry OR do the following to prepare the lettuce:

2. Remove the top of the leaves by cutting across, tear or cut remaining

lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces.

3. In a large bowl, combine: salt, freshly ground black pepper, white

wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire

sauce, egg yolk, half of the grated cheese, and minced anchovies.

4. Whisk until frothy and continue whisking while slowly drizzling in

the olive oil. (This dressing can also be made in a small food

processor or small bowl and poured over the lettuce. The traditional

way is to make it all in one bowl.)

5. Add the lettuce.

6. SAVE half of the cheese and some of the croutons. Add the remainder

before serving. Toss quickly and plate.

 

To plate:

1. Using either a salad plate, soup bowl, or entrée plate, place one handful of the dressed salad
in the middle of each plate generally enough for one serving, OR create a circle of leaves.

2. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and croutons and finish with freshly

ground black pepper at the table.

3. Sound brilliant! Tell these stories about the Caesar salad myths:

 

This first story is believed to be myth even though it is supported by

3rd edition of “Webster’s New World”:

 

1903—Caesar salad was invented by Giacomo Junia, an Italian cook

in Chicago, Illinois. At a small restaurant called The New York Café, he

catered to American tastes since very few Americans ate spaghetti and

pizza in those days. Giacomo called the salad ‘Caesar Salad’ after Julius

Caesar. He threw a few pieces of Cos lettuce (romaine) in the salad to add

a slightly bitter taste.

 

1924—Most historians believe that Caesar Salad honors restaurateur

Caesar Cardini (1896-1956), who invented it in Tijuana, Mexico on a

Fourth of July weekend. Story has it that Cardini was running low on

food so he put together a salad for his guests from what was left over

in the kitchen. His original recipe included romaine, garlic, croutons,

Parmesan cheese, raw eggs, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce, and was

prepared at tableside. When the salad dressing was ready, the romaine

leaves were coated with the dressing, placed stem side out, in a circle,

and served on a flat dinner plate, so that the salad could be eaten with

the fingers. (Rent the movie Tom Jones and watch how sexy eating with

your fingers can be.)

In 1926, Alex Cardini, an ace pilot in the Italian Air Force during

World War I, joined his brother Caesar and added other ingredients, one

of which was anchovies. He named it “Aviator’s Salad” in honor of the

pilots from Rockwell Field Air Base in San Diego. Some report that this

was the version later renamed “Caesar Salad.” Brother Caesar was said to

be staunchly against the inclusion of anchovies in this mixture, contending

that the Worcestershire sauce was what actually provided that faint

fishy flavor. He also decreed that only Italian olive oil and imported

Parmesan cheese be used in the dressing.

To whomever the creator or creators, many thanks.

Learn to make my Caesar Salad yours and you will find it hard to eat

Caesar in the outside world. You will also learn to praise a ‘master’ whenever

you find one.