Molly Baz’s Cae Sal is an emulsified Caesar, not a dressed one — and that single distinction drives everything about how it tastes. A shaken vinaigrette-style dressing stays thin and slides to the bottom of the bowl. An emulsion, where two egg yolks and Dijon stabilize a half cup of oil streamed in slowly, has the body of a loosened mayonnaise and coats every piece of romaine in a glossy, clinging sheet.
You need no equipment beyond a knife, a cutting board, a large bowl, and a whisk. A few specific moves separate it from a standard home Caesar:
A true egg-yolk emulsion. Two raw yolks and a teaspoon of Dijon are the backbone. Streaming the oil in slowly while whisking is what turns liquid into a thick, creamy dressing — rush it and it breaks. A teaspoon of cold water whisked in will usually bring a broken dressing back.
Anchovies and Worcestershire, both whisked in. Four anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste, plus a teaspoon of Worcestershire (itself anchovy-based) give the dressing deep, even savoriness with no identifiable fishiness. Both dissolve fully into the emulsion, so every bite tastes the same.
Parmesan twice. A quarter cup of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano goes into the dressing so the coating carries cheese, and another quarter cup is tossed with the leaves so you also get distinct bites of it. Finishing cheese goes on at the plate.
Pre-seasoned romaine. A squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt on the torn leaves, rested a minute before the dressing arrives, pulls surface moisture out in advance. The leaves go in drier, so the dressing clings rather than pooling — and you use less of it. Note that the olive oil lives only in the croutons; the dressing is built on neutral oil, which keeps it from turning bitter.
