IIf you thought Caesar salad couldn’t get any better, you’d be wrong. Take this classic salad to a whole new level by using chicken fat skimmed over the stock or left over from roasting instead of oil to fry croutons or mix into dressing. You will be pulled up. Caesar salad is all about the flavor of the dressing, with Parmesan, anchovies, and Worcestershire sauce mixed into a thick egg-based emulsion to create the ultimate salad sauce. Add some chicken fat to the mix and you’ll turn the umami dial up to maximum, creating an amazingly delicious salad that will have you swooning and groaning.
Caesar salad with chicken fat dressing and crispy chicken skin
The crispy leaves of Caesar salad are perfect for one of the richest, most flavorful dressings in the world. Using chicken fat instead of oil will further improve the nutrition and taste. To save energy, bake the croutons in a frying pan instead of in the oven, but if you have the oven on anyway, bake them on a tray for 6 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven’s set temperature. Stir the Parmesan cheese into the bread while the croutons are still hot, which also creates a beautiful grilled cheese aroma.
I used chicken fat that was skimmed from the top of my homemade stock and didn’t filter it at all. I had a little bit of roast chicken skin left over, so I fried it in a dry frying pan until crispy and topped the salad with some shredded cold roast chicken.
service Four
2 large slices of stale bread I used whole wheat sourdough
5 tablespoons chicken fat – 2 tablespoons for the croutons, the rest for the dressing
extra virgin olive oilas needed
Parmesan cheese 60ggrate and serve with additional
1 egg
Finely grated rind and juice of 1/4 organic lemon – If the lemon is non-organic, use only the juice and double the amount
1 small clove of garlicpeel and chop
4 anchovesy filletdrain and chop
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and black pepper
Seasonal leaves 300-400gor wash two small gem leaves,
Fried chicken skin and leftover shredded roast chickenprovide (optional)
Cut the bread into coarse cubes. Melt 2 tablespoons of chicken fat in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the bread, stirring and turning, until golden brown all over. When the croutons are browned, while still in the pan, add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, stir and set aside to cool.
To make the dressing, crack the eggs into the jug of an immersion blender and slowly whisk in 3 tablespoons of the chicken fat. If desired, mix in a little extra virgin olive oil to make a thin mayonnaise. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, minced garlic and anchovies, 2 tablespoons of grated cheese, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, and season to taste.
Place the salad leaves in a bowl and toss with a generous 4 tablespoons of the dressing. Transfer to a platter or serving bowl and top with croutons and remaining grated cheese. Taste with additional dressing, if desired, and optionally top with crispy chicken skin and leftover cold roast chicken shreds.
