In the Best of Coral Gables in Coral Gables Magazine last year, the Christy’s Caesar Salad was mentioned as being a top-secret recipe that is a favorite of diners at this steakhouse. Balderdash!

This recipe was printed, more than once I might add, in The Miami Herald’s Food Section back in the ’80’s. Caesar Salad was BIG in the ’80’s, but it’s still hugely popular, so I figured I would publish the “top-secret” recipe here, so my readers can try it. In a battle of the Caesars (again in The Miami Herald in the ’80’s) Christy’s Caesar Salad came out on top.

The creaminess in their famous dressing, doesn’t come from mayonnaise (as you might guess) but from the egg yolks that are lightly poached, before being whipped together with the other ingredients. And, instead of the traditional lemon juice, their recipe uses red wine vinegar. The anchovies are optional when you order the salad at Christy’s, but I add a squirt of anchovy paste to my dressing and omit the petit poisson on top. It’s just enough to give it a little umami taste, but isn’t too fishy!

Homemade croutons are preferred to top this delicious salad and, by the way, this is a great way to use up that stale bread on your counter. The other plus side about this Caesar Salad is, unlike the traditional Caesar that was made with raw eggs (kind of a no-no these days), these eggs are slightly cooked. I made a mistake while making this salad recently and tried to separate the yolks from the whites while the eggs were still hot off the stove. Let your eggs cool! This is what “cooks” the yolk and creates that creaminess that the Christy Caesar Salad is known for. Top with extra cheese and grated pepper.

Up Next: Buffalo Chicken Dip for the Superbowl win!