RECIPE: CHICKEN CEASER SALAD

Main course Ceaser Salad

Thursday July 24,2008

Paul Rankin turns a classic caesar salad into a main course with delicious herb-crusted chicken. Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, rosemary, thyme
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra
for frying
1 large cos lettuce
60g Parmesan, freshly grated
20 black olives, pitted
For the dressing:
11/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
30ml fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
10 drops tabasco sauce
1 egg yolk
3 anchovies, crushed
90ml light olive oil
For the garlic croutons:
6 slices continental bread, crusts removed
4 tablespoons light olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled

METHOD

1) For the dressing: in a small bowl, stir a pinch of salt and the mustard into the lemon juice until dissolved. Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, egg yolk and anchovies and mix well.
2) Slowly add the oil to the mixture in a slow and steady stream, whisking continually. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
3) For the garlic croutons: preheat the grill to medium high. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with the olive oil and grill until crisp and golden. Remove the toast from the grill and immediately rub both sides with the clove of garlic, then cut into 2cm cubes.

4) Lay each chicken breast out flat on a cutting board and make a long, horizontal incision almost through the breast, so that you can open it out like a book. Press each breast out flat with the palm of your hand to give a good flat shape (known as a paillard).
5) Season each paillard with salt, freshly ground pepper, a sprinkle of the fresh herbs and a drizzle of the oil. Heat a little vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan and pan-fry the chicken until golden and cooked through.
6) Wash the lettuce and pat dry. Break the bigger outside leaves roughly, keeping the smaller inside leaves whole, and put into a bowl. Toss the lettuce with the dressing and two-thirds of the grated Parmesan.
7) To serve, arrange the dressed leaves in the centre of each plate and garnish with the garlic croutons, black olives and remaining Parmesan. Top with the chicken paillards.