PŪRe DELICIOUS: Tomato Caesar Salad

Tomato Caesar Salad - Chatelaine

This recipe is an older one (at least the original one) before Caesar salad was really a thing. But it’s a goody.  I like it for colour and texture. Also, if you eat vegan, the added avocado is always a good thing.

Outside of the lovely colours, all of these vegetables, except avocados are in season in Ontario from summer to early fall so you can still shop local! 

Although it’s convenient for me to have a bottle of Caesar salad dressing on hand, home made is tastier, but it doesn’t last as long. So cut the recipe if you aren’t eating this much or eat a lot over the course of a few days lol!

Ingredients:

2 hearts romaine lettuce 

4 medium yellow tomatoes

1 or ¾ of pint grape or cherry tomatoes

1 or 1 ½  avocados (optional)

3/4 cup creamy Caesar dressing (see recipe below)

Croutons , about 3 cups ( make my own, cut up your favourite bread, throw it in a container with olive oil and salt or any other spice you like on your croutons, spread out on a cookie sheet and bake. Keep an eye on them until crisp. About 350 for the oven)

Instructions:

Coarsely tear or slice romaine hearts into large pieces. They should measure about 12 cups (3 L). Place in a large salad bowl or divide between 2 bowls. Cut yellow tomatoes into wedges. Scatter over romaine along with whole grape tomatoes. If using cherry tomatoes, you may want to slice in half. Slice avocados in half. Discard pits, then peel. Cube avocados. Scatter over tomatoes. Drizzle dressing overtop. Sprinkle with croutons.

Chatelaine’s Caesar Salad Dressing:

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
3 anchovy fillets , or 1 tsp anchovy paste (optional, not my cup of tea!)
1 lemon
1 tsp Dijon or 1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp mayonnaise , or 1 egg
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
Crumbled bacon for on top (optional but use real bacon)

Directions:

For dressing, finely chop garlic and anchovies (optional) and place in a large bowl. If using a garlic press, push anchovies through the press as well. Squeeze in 2 tbsp juice from lemon. Add Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Whisk to mix. Gradually whisk oil into mixture, pouring very slowly to emulsify. Whisk in mayonnaise or egg. Whisk in about half of the parmesan.