Name: Chicken Caesar salad
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 2 slices sourdough or bloomer; 1 tbsp olive oil; finely grated to make 1 tbsp parmesan, plus shavings to serve; 8 brown anchovies; 2 Little Gem lettuces, leaves separated; 100-150g roast chicken, torn into bite-sized pieces; 1 egg yolk; ½ a small clove garlic; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 100ml light olive oil; finely grated to make 2 tbsp parmesan

A white salad plate with lettuce leaves and croutons

2 slices sourdough or bloomer
1 tbsp olive oil
finely grated to make 1 tbsp parmesan
plus shavings to serve
8 brown anchovies
2 Little Gem lettuces
leaves separated
100-150g roast chicken
torn into bite-sized pieces

CAESAR DRESSING

1 egg yolk
½ a small clove garlic
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
100ml light olive oil
finely grated to make 2 tbsp parmesan

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tear or cut the bread into bite-sized croutons and tip onto a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and season with cracked black pepper. Toss well and bake for 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp of grated parmesan, and toss well. Bake for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts onto the croutons. Leave to cool for a few minutes before assembling.
step 2
Meanwhile, put the egg yolk, garlic, mustard and lemon juice in a jug. Finely chop 2 anchovies and add to the jug. Season lightly, then blend with a stick blender until smooth. Slowly add the oil with the motor still running, and blend until thickened. Check for seasoning, adding a dash more lemon, mustard or a splash of water to loosen if you need to. Stir in 2 tbsp of grated parmesan.
step 3
Put the lettuce and chicken into a large bowl with 4 heaped tbsp of the dressing, and toss everything until evenly and lightly coated, rather than being drenched in the dressing – add a little more to coat the leaves if you need to, though. Add the croutons and toss briefly again. Divide between two plates, top with anchovies, parmesan shavings and another crack of black pepper. Add an extra dollop of dressing to dip the croutons in, if you like. The left-over dressing will keep, chilled, for three days.