Summer season is over, but thank god salads do not walk away with warm weather. And if in the summer time most of us prefer salads with lighter dressings, autumn is definitely the season when we can bring back the heavier stuff.
Caesar salad is one of my favorites. Rich and creamy dressing, crunchiness from the croutons, umami flavor from parmesan cheese and, as I love it, beautifully cooked chicken breast on top.
I enjoy this salad all year around and you should too. So, let me tell you how to make the most beautiful Caesar salad.
You will need:
Sauce – (enough for 8 portions)
Anchovy fillets – 6 (you can find it in every larger grocery shop)
Worcestershire Sauce – 1 tsp
Creamy Dijon Mustard – 1 tsb
Garlic – 2 cloves
Lemon Juice – from ½ medium size lemon
Parmesan Cheese Grated – ½ cup
Good Quality Mayonnaise such as Hellmann’s Original – 1 cup
Neutral Vegetable Oil – 50 ml
Water – 50 ml
Salt – Generous Pinch
Pepper – Generous Pinch
Salad:
Romaine Salad
Ciabatta Bread for Croutons
Parmesan Cheese for Garnish
Chicken Breast – optional
Sauce preparation:
Add anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, oil and water into blender and blend until there are no large chunks left. Add this mixture into a bowl with mayonnaise and mix well with a wire whisk. Add cheese, season with salt and pepper and mix again. Taste and season accordingly. The flavor should be a little strong and a little bit too salty. After it mixes up with the salad, it will even out.
Tip: This Caesar dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for a week easily. Don’t forget to use an air-tight container.
Croutons:
Thinly slice ciabatta bread. I know, I know… it is a tough task… what is where two things come in handy. First thing is a good bread knife and second thing is partly freezing your bread before slicing.
You might ask, why not doing the regular croutons?
Well… You can.
But thinly sliced ciabatta croutons are soooo good!!!!! They are not too hard to bite, but also give your salad a perfect crunchiness and texture. I love them and now it is up to you, if you choose to do it or not.
Please, choose to do it!
Place thin slices of ciabatta bread on the sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Drizzle with oil and season lightly with salt. Bake it in the over on 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 6 minutes or until golden brown.
Chicken:
This step is completely open for interpretation. When making Caesar salad I choose to either grill it or pan fry it. I will tell you how I make my chicken breast and you can either do it the same or do it your way.
Place the chicken breast between 2 pieces of parchment paper of cling film and bash it with a heavy pot of a meat mallet to make it thinner. Season it with salt, pepper, paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Preheat the pan on a medium high heat and add a splash of oil. Place the chicken breast in the pan and fry until it builds up a beautiful crust. Flip it over and do the same. I should take around 3 minutes on each side. Take it out and let it rest for another 3 minutes.
Assemble:
Roughly cut the Romaine lettuce and dress it with the Caesar dressing you made before. Put the ciabatta croutons on top, garnish it with grated parmesan cheese and top it up with the chicken breast.
I absolutely love this salad and I think you’ll love it too!
Let me know what you think about it!
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