Caesar Salad

(serves 2)

There are a lot of crimes carried out under the name of Caesar Salad and it’s time that was put right. So forget everything you think you know about mixed leaves, creamy dressing and bits of chicken, and get ready to try the real deal. I’ve made this recipe literally hundreds of times and it’s super easy. Ready?

Ingredients

1 Romaine / Cos Lettuce

½ tin Anchovies

½ clove Garlic

2 heaped tbsp Natural Yoghurt

2tbsp Olive Oil

1tbsp fresh Lemon Juice

Parmesan, finely grated

Bread, cubed plus oil for cooking

How To Make It

You shouldn’t need a knife to eat this, so start by tearing up the Romaine lettuce leaves into pieces. Then rinse and leave to drain.

Next cube some decent bread (sourdough or slightly stale French bread works well - you can make croutons from frozen, too). Then place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and cook in the oven at about 180c until they have a bit of crunch. Or, if you’re in a hurry, you can fry them off in a heavy-bottomed pan. Either way, once they're done, set aside on kitchen paper to cool.

Slice the garlic and give it proper bashing with a pestle and mortar until it’s a paste. Then add the anchovies and do the same again (I sometimes add some of the oil the anchovies have been in, too). Then add the lemon juice. To be fair, it doesn't look all that promising at this stage!

Next add your yoghurt and olive oil give it all a good mix. Finally add a small handful of freshly grated Parmesan, and mix it all together. If you can’t taste the lemon, add another squeeze. And if it's unmanageably thick, give it another glug of olive oil.

Finally dollop your dressing onto the salad, add the croutons, and you’re away!

Over time, you’ll find your perfect balance of anchovy, lemon and garlic, but this is a good starting point.