Mushroom, bacon & egg Caesar salad
This is a stunning side dish for a braai, but can easily be served as a lunch of its own. The cheat’s dressing is easy to make and requires no special equipment.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 20 ml lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1/2 garlic clove, finely grated
- 10 ml Dijon mustard
- 30 ml finely grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 30 ml thick mayonnaise
- 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- salt & pepper
- 30 ml olive oil
- 250 g portabellini mushrooms, halved
- 125 g streaky bacon
- 4 XL eggs
- 1 cup store-bought croutons (optional)
- 3 heads of baby gem lettuce or romaine lettuce, separated and rinsed
Instructions
For the dressing:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the olive oil, lemon juice/vinegar and use a fork or hand whisk to mix well.Add the garlic, mustard, parmesan, mayonnaise and anchovy.
- Season with salt & pepper and mix to creamy dressing. Set aside.
For the salad:
- Heat the oil in a large wide pan and fry the mushrooms until cooked & golden. Season with salt & pepper and set aside.
- In a large non-stick pan, fry the bacon until crispy, then drain on kitchen paper. Cut into fine strips.
- Boil the eggs for 7 minutes in water, then transfer to a bowl of cold water to cool. Peel and slice in half, then set aside.
To assemble:
- Toss the lettuce with half the dressing, then arrange the leaves on a platter. Top with the mushrooms, bacon, eggs and croutons. Top with more parmesan cheese and serve at once.