It all started with a trip to a fancy Italian restaurant with my parents a long time ago. My memory of the restaurant itself and our meal is quite vague as I was much younger then. I do remember one dish we had though-the chicken Caesar salad. And how could I not? The waiter made such a spectacle of preparing it, and I was completely awestruck. Bringing the cart laden with ingredients, he set about to toss in the lettuce, adding this and that with a flair, breaking in the creamy coddled egg, squirting the lemon in, throwing in the parmesan cheese, a dash of pepper and drizzling them with olive oil before serving it with a final flourish. Needless to say, I’ve been hooked ever since.
The main ingredient would be the use of the Cos lettuce, or better known as the Romaine lettuce. This fragile vegetable is high in antioxidants, vitamin C and folic acid and has been hailed recently for its cancer-fighting properties. When using them, I recommend removing the outer layers of the leaves as this variety has thick ribs containing a milky fluid which gives it a bitter taste. The interior leaves are paler and have a more delicate flavour to it. Here’s a useful tip-always soak them in icy cold water before using. As the Romaine lettuce have a high water content, they tend to lose a lot of moisture once harvested. Soaking them not only rehydrates the leaves, it also keeps it crisp and crunchy. Another distinct ingredient in the Caesar salad are the anchovies. They provide a pleasant, deep saltiness to the existing flavours. If you’re concerned about any overwhelming fishy taste, you really shouldn’t worry as the anchovies very subtly works to enhance the flavours present.
This dish is a great presence on your table whether you’re eating with your family or having guests over. It can also be a meal on its own, with the protein (from the pieces of chicken scattered in the salad), the carbohydrates (from the delicious parmesan cheese and crusty croutons) and the vegetables (crisp Romaine lettuce). You could put on a little show preparing it too as you would like to prepare the salad just before serving it, throwing in the ingredients into the salad bowls though this would require some practice beforehand. One thing is for sure, your guests would definitely be raving about this dish for weeks to come, if not months!
Preparation time: ½ hour
Serves 2
2 large Cos lettuce, washed, spun dry and cut in halves
4 anchovies, crushed with the back of a spoon
1 raw egg yolk
3 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 clove garlic, skin removed and minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Shavings of Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, cooked for 4 ½ minutes in boiling water then submerged into ice-cold water
1 large chicken breast
2 sprigs thyme leaves
3 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and cracked black pepper for taste
1. For grilled chicken, marinade chicken with 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, thyme leaves, salt and cracked black pepper. Marinade chicken for 2 hours. Preheat grill over high heat. Brush chicken with more olive oil, then put chicken in grill (preferable 2nd tray) for 10 minutes
2. For Caesar sauce, mix Dijon mustard, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, egg yolk, minced garlic and lemon juice in a clean bowl. Whisk thoroughly until ingredients are mixed well
3. Place Cos lettuce on a serving plate, drizzle generously with dressing and shaved parmesan cheese.
4. Top the salad with grilled chicken breast and semi-cooked eggs
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