Contents
The name “Caesar sauce” causes every person to associate with the great Roman commander and emperor Julius Caesar. However, this is an erroneous opinion. Caesar sauce got its name not at all in honor of the famous Roman, but in honor of its creator, the American restaurateur of Italian origin Caesar Cardini. It was his ingenious decision to combine the taste of chicken fillet and the aroma of fish in one dish that made this sauce so popular.
History of creation
This gas station was born in 1924 on the day of the celebration of US independence – July 4th. The parent of this sauce was the Italian-born restaurateur Caesar Cardini. His restaurant was suddenly visited by high-ranking officials, but there were already very few products left in his kitchen.
Puzzling over how to feed his guests deliciously and with a minimum amount of food, Caesar Cardini came up with a hearty salad with chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan, tomato and egg. But the highlight of the salad was not these simple ingredients, but a spicy sauce, which, like the salad itself, was named after its author – Caesar.
The success of the salad with spicy dressing was so overwhelming that in a matter of years it gained worldwide fame and fame. However, restaurateur Cardini took the sauce recipe with him without giving it to anyone.
Culinary experts around the world puzzled over its disclosure for a long time, but offered only an alternative recipe: eggs, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and anchovies. Many culinary connoisseurs do not agree with this interpretation of the Caesar sauce recipe and believe that not anchovies were added to it, but Worcester (Worcestershire) sauce with light fishy notes. In fact, one can only guess and argue about the true composition and proportional ratio of ingredients.
Chemical composition
Since Caesar sauce contains fat-containing products, it is a high-calorie dressing. Its calorie content is about 280 kcal. Such a high calorie content is provided mainly by fats, of which 100 g of this dressing contains 28 g, while carbohydrates are 6 g, and proteins – only 0,3 g.
Proteins, although contained in a small amount in the sauce, have a balanced amino acid composition, since they are represented by full-fledged animal proteins from eggs and anchovies.
Caesar sauce fats are 90% unsaturated olive oil fats, which can hardly be called harmful, as they contain:
- omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids (FA);
- monounsaturated (palmitoleic) fatty acids;
- polyunsaturated (linoleic) fatty acids;
- beta-sitosterol;
- alpha-tocopherols (vitamin E);
- squalene.
At 10%, the fats of Caesar sauce are composed of saturated fatty acids of animal origin: from egg yolks and anchovies. They are sources of cholesterol and fat-soluble vitamins (D, A, E).
Due to the diverse composition of the components, Caesar sauce also contains water-soluble vitamins (C, B groups, carotenoids), citric acid, macro- and microelements (potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, selenium).
Useful Properties
Caesar sauce is not only a delicious dressing: it is also capable of many beneficial properties in the human body. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are not formed independently in the human body, therefore they are considered indispensable. They are:
- participate in the synthesis of prostaglandins – inflammatory mediators;
- increase the elasticity of the vascular walls;
- reduce vascular permeability;
- reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood, which has an anti-sclerotic effect;
- contribute to the binding of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood and the synthesis of them in the liver of bile acids;
- facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the digestive tract;
- stimulate the secretion of bile and intestinal motility;
- protect the skin and dermis from the harmful effects of external factors (ultraviolet rays, ionizing radiation, weathering);
- retain water in the skin and, accordingly, maintain its turgor.
Unsaturated fatty acids are powerful antioxidants because they are involved in redox reactions. Due to this property, they prevent cell damage by free radicals and lipid peroxidation products, which reduces the frequency of cell mutations. Thus, the unsaturated fatty acids of the sauce are able to exhibit anti-cancer effects. Egg yolk choline, which is included in the sauce, also exhibits anti-carcinogenic properties: scientists have proven its effectiveness against breast cancer.
Olive oil squalene is able to slow down the aging process, smoothing out the first mimic wrinkles, regenerating skin damage and stimulating its renewal.
Citric acid contained in Caesar sauce improves digestion, cleanses the liver, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, has a hypotensive and antibacterial effect, and improves immunity. It has a detoxifying effect: it binds toxic metabolic products, toxins and promotes their removal from the body.
It is very important that one serving of Caesar salad dressing contains a daily dose of vitamin D and E. Vitamin D improves the absorption of calcium from food and deposits it in the bones, thereby helping to strengthen bone tissue. Vitamin E is useful for the reproductive system of both women and men: it regulates the activity of the genital organs, normalizes hormonal levels, improves sperm quality in men and the ability to develop and implant a fertilized egg in women. Tocopherols also improve the transmission of impulses in the central nervous system.
Egg yolks contain lecithin, which is a cholesterol antagonist and therefore exhibits anti-sclerotic properties. Lecithin normalizes brain activity, improves memory. Without it, the work of liver enzymes and the synthesis of blood cells worsens, the removal of toxic metabolic products from the body slows down.
The iron contained in egg yolks is present in Caesar sauce in a bioavailable form, and together with the iron of lettuce leaves, it well compensates for its deficiency in the body.
Possible harm
But Caesar sauce is not the only benefit. In some conditions and diseases, its use should be limited or even excluded so that the sauce does not harm the body.
The main contraindication to eating Caesar sauce is individual intolerance to its components: anchovies, lemon juice or others.
Due to its high fat and calorie content, dressing is not recommended for inclusion in the diet of people who are obese or on a weight loss diet. The citric acid contained in this dressing can exacerbate gastritis or peptic ulcers.
Highly undesirable is the frequent use of commercially produced Caesar sauce. This sauce contains many food additives: flavor enhancers, emulsifiers, stabilizers, acidity regulators, flavors, dyes and other substances that are harmful to the body.
Industrial fillings are not recommended for use:
- children;
- pregnant and lactating women;
- To old people;
- with impaired excretory function of the kidneys;
- suffering from liver pathologies;
- patients with diabetes mellitus;
- people with gout.
To prevent the manifestation of the harmful properties of salad dressing on the body, Caesar sauce must be prepared at home.
Cooking application
To make Caesar sauce at home, you can use the classic recipe or modify it by excluding or adding some ingredients to your taste and health status.
Classic Caesar Sauce
To prepare dressing for 4 servings of Caesar salad, you need to prepare the necessary components:
- 150 ml of olive oil;
- 2 chicken eggs;
- 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 50 ml of lemon juice;
- salt pepper;
- spices.
Worcestershire sauce can not be bought in every store in our country, so in some recipes this English sauce is replaced by 5-6 pieces of anchovies and 2 tablespoons of French mustard.
First, you need to boil the eggs using an unusual technology: when the water for the eggs boils, you need to put two eggs in it, on the blunt side of which holes are pierced with a needle. Eggs should not be boiled for more than a minute. So they will remain only welded on the outside, but raw on the inside. Pour the contents of the eggs into a bowl, add Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and beat with a whisk. Add minced or crushed garlic to this mixture. While whisking the mixture, gradually add olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and herbs to taste.
This salad dressing can be stored in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It can be seasoned not only with the traditional Caesar salad, but also with any other salad or main course.
To add zest to the classic recipe, you can cook sauces according to other recipes, choosing the most suitable one for your family. On various online culinary forums, amateur cooks have offered various options for Caesar sauce: without anchovies, based on sour cream, with sprats, capers, cheese, honey.
Conclusions
Caesar sauce is an original dressing for chicken salad with the finest fish flavor. Contrary to popular belief, its name has nothing to do with the Roman emperor Julius Caesar. It was created by the American Italian restaurateur Caesar Cardini as a dressing for the salad of the same name.
Thanks to delicious and natural ingredients, the sauce has many beneficial properties for the human body. It has a positive effect on metabolism, improves the state of the cardiovascular system, normalizes the activity of the genital area, and has cosmetic effects.
However, the sauce can be not only beneficial, but also harmful, especially if it is produced under industrial conditions. Such dressings contain many harmful food additives that are contraindicated for children, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, suffering from diseases of the liver, kidneys, stomach and intestines.
The classic Caesar sauce recipe includes olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, chicken eggs, salt, and spices. The original is the method of technological processing of eggs for the preparation of this dressing: they must be pierced with a needle before boiling. Everyone at home can prepare Caesar sauce according to a classic recipe or according to their own recipe, so that such a dressing is not only tasty, but also healthy for the whole family.