Caesar Salad

DRESSING:--
1 cup SIDS RASPBERRY HONEY MAYO
½ tsp garlic, finely minced
2 anchovy fillets (note 2)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp SIDS HOT WORCESTER SAUCE
½ cup grated parmesan cheese (note 3)
3-4 tbsp milk
½ tsp SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
GARLIC CROUTONS:--
2-3 slices white bread
1 garlic clove, cut in half
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp salt
SALAD:--
150 g streaky bacon, cooked & chopped
10 cups lettuce, chopped, wash & dried
Freshly grated parmesan
OPTIONAL EXTRAS:--
2-4 eggs, cooked to your taste, peeled & halved
500 g chicken breast fillets (2 pieces)
1 tsp SIDS SALT & PEPPER
1 tbsp olive oil

DRESSING
Whizz SIDS HOT WORCESTER SAUCE, SIDS SALT & PEPPER and all ingredients in food processor until smooth, starting with 3 tbsp milk.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired, and use milk to get the dressing to the desired consistency. (Note 6)
Set aside for 20 minutes plus, to allow flavours to develop.
BACON
Place bacon into a cold frypan (no oil), then turn onto medium high. Cook until golden, turn, cook other side until golden. Remove onto paper towels, cool, then chop.
GARLIC CROUTONS
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Toast bread in the toaster for 1 minute (or oven for 2 minutes each side) until surface is dried but not browned.
Rub both sides of each piece of bread with the cut side of the garlic. (Note 7)
Remove crust from bread (optional) and cut into cubes - around 1½ cups. Drizzle with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then bake until golden, shaking the tray once. Sandwich bread will take around 7 minutes, sourdough and similar breads take 12-15 min.
ASSEMBLE
Place lettuce in bowl (Note 5) with ½ the dressing. Toss well, taste, then decide if you want more dressing.
Transfer to serving bowl. (Top with chicken and egg if using) Scatter over with bacon and croutons. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Eggs: Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Place over medium high heat and bring to simmer. Once the water is simmering, turn down to medium (gentle simmer) and cook for 3 minutes, (for soft centres) 4 minutes for firm yolks and 6 minutes for hard boiled. Remove eggs, run under cold water for 15 seconds then leave submerged in a bowl of cold tap water for 5 minutes. Peel then set aside. (Note 6)
Chicken: Either pound the chicken to about 1 cm even thickness, or slice each breast in half horizontally. Sprinkle both sides with SIDS SALT & PEPPER. Use bacon fat remaining in frypan. Cook first side for 5 minutes, turn then cook the other side for 2 minutes. Remove, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 minutes. Cut into slices.
Recipe Notes:
1. No Mayo version - substitute with Greek Yoghurt, add a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
2. Anchovy fillets are key to achieve a true restaurant quality flavour. You can't taste it, but it's the seasoning for the sauce so if you skip it, you'll need to add more salt. Use only the dark brown anchovy fillets in oil that come in a jar or can in the canned fish aisle of supermarkets.
3. Parmesan - Store bought pre-grated parmesan is denser than freshly grated which is why you don't need as much. It won't whizz up as smoothly either, but personally it doesn't bother me.
4. Croutons - you want enough bread to make 1½ cups croutons. (on the generous side, but no one wants to run out!) Use plain, normal sandwich bread or make your own - use this dead easy Artisan Bread or if you're out of yeast, this No Yeast Sandwich Bread.
5. Lettuce - iceberg is great. Make sure you wash lettuce well in advance to let it dry properly. Dressing won't coat wet lettuce so make sure it's dried! I usually chop, wash then dry using a spinner. Chop into whatever size suits you for eating. I use small cos lettuce and just chop 2 cm strips. For large ones, peel leaves off, stack and chop.
6. Dressing - Don't thin the dressing too much, otherwise it won't cling to the lettuce. You can whizz it up in a blender or use a stick blender too.
7. Croutons - The purpose of this step is to add garlic flavour to the croutons. I prefer not to toss the croutons in minced garlic because the garlic burns before the croutons turn golden.
8. Storage - After tossing in Dressing, salad is good for around 20 minutes, (longer than the usual leafy salads) then after that the lettuce starts getting soft. Best to dress just before serving - if taking somewhere, take all components separately.
Dressing will keep 3-4 days - seems to get better with time!