Caesar salad
Ingredients
- DRESSING
- 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 15ml lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- 160ml oil
- 120g Parmesan, freshly grated
- CROUTONS
- 350g focaccia bread, cubed
- 100ml sun-dried tomato oil
- 50ml fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100ml olive oil
- 100g pancetta, sliced
- 100g bacon
- 1 egg white
- 50ml black and white sesame seeds, deep-fried
- 7 eggs, poached and roughly chopped
- 2 heads cos lettuce, sliced into strips
- 50g pecorino, grated
- 100g Parma ham, sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 100g white anchovies
- 100g Gruyère, shaved
- 30ml chives, chopped
- 30ml sour mustard leaf, optional
- 30ml cucumber, julienne
Instructions
For the dressing, combine the anchovies, garlic, lemon juice and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk lightly. Slowly add the vegetable oil while whisking to create an emulsion. Add the Parmesan and combine. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the focaccia cubes on a baking tray. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle the thyme and garlic over. Roast until golden and crispy, and set aside.
Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the pancetta until crispy. Set aside.
Dip the bacon in the egg white and in the sesame seeds. Deep-fry until crispy, drain on paper towel and set aside.
Slightly heat the poached egg in hot water and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, pecorino, Parma ham, avocado, anchovies, Gruyère, chives, mustard leaf, cucumber and dressing.
Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle the croutons, bacon and pancetta over. Top with the poached eggs.
Notes
Poached egg is traditionally added, but can be replaced with a few quails’ eggs. Biltong and mango atchar add a delicious meaty flavour and fruitiness to the salad.
