Giangi's Kitchen

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Caesar’s salad dressing with shrimp saltimbocca.

A quick,  and I mean quick,  spin to our favorite Caesar’s Salad.  You, too, can make this delicious dressing and dish in less than 15 minutes, from beginning to end.

I love shrimp; however, if you have prawns or scallops on hand, this dish will taste as delicious and take the same time to cook.

A quick history of Caesar’s salad dressing

History goes that this beautiful Caesar’s salad dressing was created in 1924 in Tijuana, Mexico, by a French-inspired  Italian chef,  Caesar Cardini.

Cardini immigrated to America and then moved to Mexico to escape prohibition.

This recipe grew so much in popularity that in 1948 Caesar had to patent this recipe.

In 1953, Paris’s International Society of Epicure maned the Caesar Salad, the most incredible recipe to originate in the Americas in the last half-century.

My spin on it:

Food processor. I love to simplify it without compromising the fantastic flavor. The homemade Caesar dressing will come together so fast you will wonder why you have not done this earlier.

A true game-changer for me.

However, you, too, can make it in your kitchen in a flash.

I decided to add shrimp to it with prosciutto, Saltimbocca. The crispiness and salty savor of the prosciutto play well with the dressing.

The shrimps bring the flavor back.

What is Saltimbocca?

Translated, it means: jump in the mouth.

In the culinary world, it is a dish consisting of a rolled-up thin slice of veal with sage and prosciutto dredged into flour and sauteed in butter in a skillet.

Another version is replacing the veal with chicken or pork. Both must be pounded thinly, as this dish does not require much cooking.

The saltimbocca is a dish that takes no time to cook; therefore, you will quickly enjoy it.

Dinner or appetizer? Ways to enjoy this Shrimp Saltimbocca.

This dish makes a perfect, fun appetizer recipe with no salad.

Serve the prosciutto shrimp with the dressing on the side to dip. You will love me.

Here are a few helpful tips for the ingredients needed to make this recipe homemade Caesar dressing with shrimp saltimbocca

You can find the printable recipe with all the correct ingredient amounts at the bottom of this post. This is just a quick introduction. Please read the full recipe instructions.

The recipe is made in two parts:

• Caesar’s Dressing
• Shrimps Saltimbocca

For Caesar’s dressing, you will need the following:

Olive oil: Use a good light olive oil. Too heavy or extra virgin olive oil is too heavy and will leave a strong aftertaste.

Garlic: remove any green core center from the garlic before adding it to the food processor.

Anchovies: There would not be a Caesar’s if you eliminated the anchovies. Fret not, and you will not taste them once you smash them.

Lemon juice: the acidic balance of the dressing.

Dijon mustard: another layer of acidity

Worcestershire sauce: we all need a bottle in our refrigerator as it adds that salty flavor to dressing and sauces.

Egg yolk: large egg and at room temperature.

Parmigiano Reggiano: Add richness and saltiness to this Caesar dressing.

Romaine lettuce: Sturdy salad that will not wilt as soon as it gets in contact with the acidity of the dressing. Crisp and refreshing.

For the Shrimps Saltimbocca, you will need the following:

Shrimps: large shell removed, deveined, and cleaned.

Prosciutto di Parma: make sure the slices are thin, as they are best in flavor and will wrap better around your shrimp.

Basil: Italian basil is the best here as it marries well with the prosciutto and shrimp.

Unsalted butter: A must in my book as the prosciutto is salted already.

Equipment you will need

I only recommend what I use and love. To achieve this recipe, I used the following:

Food processor:  Makes your life easy and will have your Caesar dressing done in no time.

Toothpicks are Needed to hold the prosciutto in place during the cooking process.

Skillet Use a large Lodge if you have handy. You do not want to overcrowd the shrimp so they all will cook simultaneously.

Serving salad plates A pretty presentation always welcome guest to your table. A beautiful serving place will do just that.

Cooking tips and step-by-step instructions

Do not salt the shrimp. Prosciutto, when cooked, releases salt, which can oversalt the recipe.

A rule of thumb is four shrimps per person for the dinner portion. If you want to enjoy this recipe as an appetizer, I recommend two shrimp per appetizer.

Romaine lettuce, of course, is the best as it will not wilt once mixed with the dressing.

• Making Caesar’s dressing with the food processor is easy and produces more than you may need.

Now let’s move on to the shrimp:

• Remove the internal black vein from the shrimp.
• Season generously with salt and pepper the shrimp. Wrap the basil leaf around the shrimp and then wrap the prosciutto. Hold the prosciutto with a toothpick.
• The shrimp will cook relatively fast. Ensure you are ready to enjoy them before starting the cooking process.

Prepare the romaine salad with the dressing. Once the shrimp are cooked, place them on the same plate.

Sprinkle more Parmigiano cheese over it and serve immediately.

Quick side note about the anchovies

Do not concern yourself with the anchovies; they will disintegrate, and you will not taste or see them.

However, they will bring their savory flavor to this dish once they are disintegrated.

Anchovies are a considerable part of Mediterranean cooking and are used often. They add natural saltiness to your dish without having to use salt. 

Storage instructions

The Caesar’s dressing stores well in the refrigerator for up to five days. Please keep it in an airtight glass container.

The shrimp can be enjoyed the day after if you are lucky to have leftovers.

I would not recommend more than one day, as the shrimp will toughen, and the basil will become bitter with time.

Variations and substitutions

You can spruce things up and use prawns instead of shrimps. Larger and so rich. Two may suffice for dinner per person.

Use sage instead of basil. Same wonderful flavor and you will not be disappointed. 

If you enjoy this recipe, check out these flavorful recipes:

Caesar Roasted Swordfish – You will be Hooked

Veal Saltimbocca with Fettuccine

Prawn Saltimbocca – Spin to your Italian Favorite

Prawns Cocktail with Kiwis – A delightful Appetizer

Equipment and ingredients used. to create this recipe

Visit my Amazon Storefront for my selection of favorite kitchen essentials. I only recommend equipment that I use and love.

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Originally published on August 16, 2020, updated on January 3, 2023.