Beware the Ides of March and eat well

"Et tu, Brute"

Julius Caesar, Act 2, Scene 1

On March 15 (the Ides of March) in 44 BC, Caesar was attacked by a group of senators, including Marcus Junius Brutus, Caesar's close friend. Caesar initially resisted his attackers, but when he saw Brutus, he supposedly spoke those words and resigned himself to his fate.

In order to commemorate the day, I thought about trying to find some ancient Roman food, but - oy - that just seemed like way more work than I had time for right now.

Then I thought: Caesar Salad.

Of course, I know Caesar Salad has nothing to do with the Roman emperor. The popular dish was originally created in 1924 by Italian chef Caesar Cardini at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. It was prepared and served right at the table. 

A lot of people think of  anchovies when they think of this salad. Fear not, however, the original recipe was vegetarian.

Croutons
2 large garlic cloves
1 pinch of salt
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups of sliced French baguette slices cut up into 1/2 inch cubes 
Salad
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 medium garlic clove, crushed
1 pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of  pepper
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of olive oil
2 medium heads of romaine lettuce
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

• For the croutons - Combine the garlic, the oil, the salt, and the bread cubes in a bowl. Mix until the cubes are coated evenly. Spread the coated cubes onto a baking sheet and bake them until the croutons are golden brown (about 10 minutes).
• For the salad - Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the egg and cook for exactly 45 seconds. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool off.
• Meanwhile, mix the Worcestershire sauce, the lemon juice, the garlic and the salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the egg and whisk the whole bit until it's smooth.
• Slowly add the oil in a steady stream while constantly whisking again until it's smooth again. 
• Tear the romaine lettuce into 1 to 2 inch pieces and add them to a large bow. Add half the dressing, toss it all together, add the remaining dressing, the Parmesan cheese, and the croutons and toss the whole thing again.

Vegetarian