thepassionatecook: Gordon's Caesar Salad

Caesar salad must be the most bastardised of salads on earth - which is probably why many people have strong (negative) feelings about it. Like my husband. He doesn't like anchovies for starters and his first encounter with a CS was when he bought a sachet of it at some supermarket, unaware of what was in the marinade. He must have spat like a llama. But what can you expect of mass-produced salad sauces? It makes much more commercial sense to buy tinned anchovies in oil, you know, the endlessly salty variety that is as far removed from a real fish as Cadbury/Hershies/etc is from chocolate! Except for a sodium kick, I don't know why people even buy that stuff! No, what you want is the real thing: smooth silky anchovies in brine, bought from your local delicatessen (or supermarket, if you're lucky)... they do taste like fish and are a real pleasure to eat - I get cravings for them every once in a while where I could devour a whole tub full of them with some toasted Poilane bread - snack heaven! And of course, real parmesan, not the pre-grated version which, again, bears no resemblance to the original.
I didn't follow much of Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Hell" TV series, but I do remember him re-inventing a Caesar's salad at one particular establishment. I bought his book "Kitchen Heaven" a while ago and this is the first recipe I've tried - but the book is full of quite quick and easy recipes, some of which are even managable after a long day at work... so I tried the Caesar's salad some time last week and it was very yummy. My better half couldn't get enough of it! The fresh anchovies make all the difference of course, and I also loved the way he grills the bacon, then brushes it with maple syrup - it gives the salad a really interesting twist!

Gordon's Caesar Salad*
(serves 2)

Iceberg lettuce
10 fresh anchovy fillets (in brine)
10 slices pancetta
3 tbsp maple syrup
a good handful fresh parmesan shavings

For the dressing:
4 fresh anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic
50 g parmesan (freshly grated)
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp dijon mustard
juice of half a lemon
200 ml olive oil

Pre-heat the grill.
Wash and dry the lettuce leaves, then tear into pieces. Set aside in a salad bowl.
Prepare the dressing: blitz everything but the oil in a food processor, then gradually whisk in the oil.
Arrange the pancetta on a baking tray and put under the grill - cook for 5 minutes or so until browning. Remove from under the grill, then brush with maple syrup. Set aside.
Dress the salad with the marinade (you will not need all of it, but it keeps in the fridge for a few days), arrange on plates and decorate with the anchovies and bacon strips.
Serve with crusty bread.

* Based on a recipe in Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Heaven"