Chicken Caesar Fit For The Gods

Recipe: Chicken Caesar Fit For The Gods

Summary: An original recipe with a few things pilfered from Ina.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, rinsed and patted very dry
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Half a loaf of sourdough bread
• A wedge of good Parmesan cheese
• 4 to 5 salt-packed anchovies, soaked and filleted
• 6 to 7 cloves of garlic (if you love garlic) 4 to 5 if you don't
• A spoonful of Dijon mustard
• An egg yolk
• Juice from one lemon
• A splash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 3 heads of romaine, patted dry and cut into fat pieces
• A sprinkling of capers
• Leftover chicken breast cut into larges pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, add the cherry tomatoes and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes shrivel and start to brown in spots. Set aside to cool.
2. Leave the oven on and cut the crusts off your sourdough. Then cut into cubes. Toss on a cookie sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in the oven until the cubes are golden brown on the outside but still soft on the inside. Set aside.
3. In a blender, add cubes of your good Parmesan. Blend until you have Parmesan powder; pour it into a bowl, leaving whatever sticks inside the blender to help emulsify the dressing.
4. To the blender, add the anchovies, garlic, mustard, an egg yolk, lemon juice and, if using, a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Also a pinch of salt. Turn on the blender and slowly pour in olive oil, in a steady stream, until a dressing starts to form. You'll add anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup of oil. When the dressing is nice and thick (slightly looser than mayo) you're done.
5. In a very large bowl, add the romaine, the croutons, and the capers. Pour on half the dressing and toss with your hands. Taste. Does it need more dressing? Add more.
6. Plate the salad on chilled plates. Top with a scattering of the tomatoes, the pieces of chicken, some more dressing (on top of the chicken) and a giant dusting of Parmesan cheese. A few grinds of black pepper at the end is also very nice.

Preparation time: 20 minute(s)

Cooking time: 30 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)