Caesar Salad with Crispy Bacon
Serving Size: Serves 4
2 cos lettuces
8 anchovy fillets (about half a can)
4 rashers bacon, diced
4 slices bread, cubed
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 hardboiled eggs (See Tip), halved
Shaved or grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Dressing:
1 raw egg
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp lemon juice
8 anchovy fillets (about half a can)
3/4 cup olive oil
1. Remove the outer leaves of the cos lettuce and chop off the base. Separate the inner leaves and wash thoroughly. Let them dry on a tea towel while you fry the bacon and croutons and make the dressing.
2. Place the diced bacon in a cold frying pan. Place over heat and cook, moving the bacon around the pan every now and again with a wooden spoon, until bacon is crispy. Remove and drain bacon on absorbent paper. Next, add 1cm vegetable oil to the same pan. Heat the oil to moderately high, add the garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes to release the flavour. Remove the garlic from the oil. Carefully add the bread cubes to hot oil and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Remove croutons from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.
3. To make the Dressing: Blend or process raw egg, garlic, lemon juice and anchovies to a smooth paste. Leaving motor on, pour in olive oil in a thin stream and process until dressing is thick.
4. Arrange cos leaves, croutons, and hardboiled eggs in individual serving bowls or one large platter. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with anchovies and parmesan cheese.
Tip: For perfect hardboiled eggs, place eggs in sauce pan of cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from pan and plunge into iced water to stop them cooking (this also prevents that nasty blueish tinge from forming). If you like your hardboiled eggs just a little soft in the centre of the yolk, cook for 5 minutes.