My Chicken Caesar Salad

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

3 small cos (or 1 ½ large cos), leaves picked and washed
2 chicken breast, poached the roughly shredded
40g parmesan, freshly shaved
4 free range eggs, brought to room temperature
8 strips of smoked streaky bacon
1/2 loaf of day old sourdough, crust removed and cut into 2cmx2cm cubes

Dressing
3 anchovies
1 clove garlic
25g parmesan, finely grated
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1 ½ tsps. white wine vinegar
Juice ½ lemon
220ml Alfa One rice bran oil
Salt, a pinch

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C

To poach the chicken breasts, bring a pot of water to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and place chicken into water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool.

For the dressing, blend the anchovies, garlic, parmesan and mustard in a blender. Now add the egg yolk. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Once thick and creamy, add the vinegar and lemon and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the croutons by spraying the cubed bread with a generous amount of oil spray, or drizzled with olive oil. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Bring pot of water to the boil and gently add the eggs. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Once cooked cool down under running water and then gently peel.

For the bacon, cook in a pan until golden and crispy. Drain excess fat.

To assemble, place lettuce, chicken and bacon in a bowl. Add a couple of spoonfuls of dressing and gently toss with your hands. Now add the croutons and toss again. Finally add the extra parmesan and the eggs.

NOTES:
Caesar salad is an old time classic and although it is very easy to make so many get it wrong by adding either too much dressing, or ingredients that really do not need to be added.

For me it’s about respecting the true prime ingredients of the Caesar and most importantly getting the textures just right.