Hey all - the historical and philosophical contributions are very interesting, but if other readers have actual dressing recipes that they have made and enjoyed, please keep contributing. That was what I was seeking when I posted.
Julia was right.
My only potentially worthwhile recipe contributions for someone stuck looking for “that certain something” in a Caesar salad are:
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If you’ve been avoiding anchovies and you’re not happy with the dressing, you need anchovies. (But in your case you already use them so it doesn’t apply)
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Many Caesar dressings are made without fresh eggs, and usually mayonnaise is substituted. But mayonnaise usually includes vinegar - specifically, plain white vinegar most of the time. Maybe a very little bit of extra vinegar added to the fresh-egg Caesars would suit. (Fancy vinegars would add in an extra flavour, which might throw things off, but there’s nothing wrong with trying them.) Higher levels of acid often “feel like flavour” to people, as fruit growers are noticing more and more.
The Gourmet recipe used anchovies, egg yolks, oil, and white wine vinegar, among other things. So check check check to your suggestions above.
My lazy, no-egg recipe is similar to @HappyOnion’s but with a bit less anchovy, since DH doesn’t like it too strongly fishy. I sometimes use a bit of fish sauce instead of anchovy if I don’t have an open jar. Here are the approximate quantities:
1-2 anchovy filets, mashed or 1 t. fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste or pressed through a garlic press
1 cup Hellman’s extra-heavy or regular mayonnaise
2 -4 T. white vinegar and/or lemon juice
1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
lots of freshly ground pepper
salt to taste
Whisk everything but the vinegar and salt together, then add acid until desired flavor is achieved. Season with salt (may not need any) and taste again for balance before serving.
I do know that in the simpler-than-simple dressing I like on my coleslaw, the only thing resembling a “secret” is that it needs what looks like far, FAR too much pepper. Romaine is obviously much more delicate than cabbage though, so it’s not the same.
[pulls jar of pretty-OK Caesar dressing out of the fridge, reads label]
Dijon mustard?
Not authentic … might be good …
mustard is often used as an emulsifier…
good to keep it ‘stable’ for a while.
I’ll take mustard over the long list of chemical ones any day!
The legend of dwindling kitchen supplies being the mother of invention includes Frank and Teressa’s Buffalo wings and who knows what other classics.
It’s an attractive type of story because it makes the protagonist look resourceful and brilliant even if they were mainly lucky.
Not to take away from the fact that the people who invent good and/or popular dishes do deserve fair credit for doing so. I enjoy food and appreciate the people who make it happen. 
Recipes are just a guideline for what you want to make . How boring it would be just doing that .
I always Garum in my Caesar dressing.
And lime (not lemon) juice.
Saw this too late, but for next time, I have enjoyed the results of these, which one I use depends on whether I have anchovies / anchovy paste or not, and also whim. You can vary garlic and lemon to your taste - they’re both quite pungent already, so I wouldn’t add more before tasting.
How interesting that these both, and many above, have mayo as an ingredient. The one thing I’ve never done, because I didn’t think it was in the original (or even replicas that tried to stay true to the original). Well, maybe I will give that a shot. It would be hilarious to discover that my mayo-disliking caesar loving son has been having mayo in all his favorite caesar dressings.
It’s a shortcut, and while I am all for “authenticity,” if the end product tastes like it should, that’s what matters. Try it with bottled mayo. if it’s not quite right, make 1 egg mayo using an immersion blender, that probably gets even closer, and you will have good mayo left for something else.
FWIW, I didn’t enjoy mayo for a long time, but I did like a few things that either used it or were similar in taste / texture - Caesar salad dressing being one of those.
I agree. That’s why although I keep using what I think is “authentic” ingredients, I have not been happy with the results and am still in search of something more closely resembling what we’ve eaten and enjoyed.
The parmesan makes a difference imo, so maybe on one of your trials splurge a bit on that and see if it makes the difference.
I put about 1/2 cup grated into the last batch. I think the mayo may make a bigger difference
I’d guess (sort of repeating myself) that unless he’s mostly been at the type of places where time-consuming fresh-made dressings are the expectation, he probably has.
I would understand “mayo is OK in Caesar dressing but I don’t like it on its own”.
