Gelf's cheaty chicken Caesar salad
This is up there with the best-known salads in the world and it's a great one for using up the leftovers from a roast chicken. Once the bird has cooled, I find hunting out those juicy morsels extremely satisfying and it always surprises me how much is left nestling against the bones!
Servs 4
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Tear the bread into pieces, toss in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Scatter the bread pieces on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven drain on kitchen paper and allow to cool. For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, then taste to check the seasoning (the anchovies will probably have contributed enough salt). Put the chicken and baked bread into a large bowl. Tear each of the lettuce leaves into 2 or 3 pieces and add them to the bowl, then stir through the dressing. Arrange the salad on a large platter, top with the anchovy fillets and shave the cheese (using a peeler) over the top.
Swaps:
For a lighter version, replace the mayonnaise with natural yoghurt and add an extra squeeze of lemon juice to the Caesar dressing.
Ingredients
2 slices of sourdough or good-quality wholemeal bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp olive oil
300g cold leftover chicken, torn into pieces
1 Cos lettuce, divided into leaves
8 tinned or jarred anchovy fillets (MSC certified)
100g extra mature Cheddar
Flaky sea salt and black pepper
For the Caesar dressing
4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise (for homemade see page 215)
2 tinned or jarred anchovy fillets (MSC certified), finely chopped
½ garlic clove, finely grated
30g extra mature Cheddar, finely grated
This recipe is taken from...
Redefine the idea of salad, as playful flavour pairings, clever techniques and vibrant dressings bring out the very best in seasonal produce. Divided into chapters such as Quick, Hearty, Spicy and Lunchbox, these recipes use everyday ingredients, and give plenty of suggestions for seasonal swaps and delicious alternatives.