Cooking Lesson #253: Tijuana Chilled Caesar Pasta Salad

…from the California Kitchen

How you doin’?  Have you been following your 5-A-Day regimen? This recipe will help.

The original Caesar Salad was invented in Tijuana at the Hotel Caesar by an Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini. Caesar owned restaurants in Mexico and the United States. He was living in San Diego but working in Tijuana where he avoided the restrictions of Prohibition. His Tijuana establishment was frequented by many of Hollywood’s super stars of the era. Tijuana Chilled Caesar Pasta Salad is the next step up from the romaine lettuce-centric salad found in most Italian restaurants today. It is the perfect spring and summer salad, and because there is no mayonnaise it’s perfect to take to picnics, too.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Chill time:  1 hours or longer (tastes better the longer it chills)
Yield: 2-4 servings
 
Ingredients
For the salad
2 cups dry rainbow Radiatore pasta
1 green onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives
3 tomatoes, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
 
For the dressing
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
 
Directions

1. In a large pot with salted boiling water cook Radiatore pasta until al dente—about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking process and drain well.
3. Combine the onion, bell pepper, olives, tomatoes and green chilies in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, cilantro, garlic salt, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, chili powder, cumin and anchovy paste (if using) and chill.
5. Toss the cooked pasta with vegetables together. Chill well.
6. When ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing and serve.

ChefSecret: Top with a little salsa and Mexican cheese blend.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “From now on I’m always going to wear a mask to the grocery store, I prefer a disguise when squeezing the produce and purchasing obscene amounts of junk food.”
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