Jamie: Keep Cooking and Carry On
By Jamie Oliver
Ultimate bacon croutons & creamy dressing
About the recipe
So, guys, the weather is getting warmer, fresh spring produce is starting to appear in the shops, and it’s time to start celebrating what we can get our hands on. This salad is a really nice one for embracing the season – try speed-peeling spears of asparagus over your salad, or adding quartered ripe cherry tomatoes. Add whatever you like! Putting the croutons beneath the chicken as it roasts, with smoky bacon on top, means you get even more bang for your buck on the flavour front. Delicious.
Recipe From
1 bunch of fresh herbs (30g), such as sage, thyme, rosemary
2 cloves of garlic
rapeseed oil
Worcestershire sauce
1 x 1.5kg whole chicken
1 round lettuce
1 little gem lettuce
1 small carrot
¼ of a cucumber
½ an eating apple
300g sourdough bread
6 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
CREAMY DRESSING
½ a clove of garlic
1 heaped teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
optional: 1 tinned sardine fillet
40g Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
100g natural yoghurt
1 lemon
EASY SWAPS
- You can use olive oil instead of rapeseed oil, if you like.
- I’ve used a whole chicken, but if you have pieces that’s no problem at all, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- On the dressing, of course you could use Dijon mustard instead of wholegrain.
- Anchovies are classic in a Caesar dressing, so by all means use those instead of the sardine fillet, or you could even flake in a bit of smoked mackerel or tinned tuna.
- Use finely grated Parmesan instead of Cheddar, if you’ve got it.
- On the lettuce front, crunchy romaine is always a delight and what you’d traditionally find in a Caesar, but feel free to use what you’ve got.
- I’m using sourdough here, but you can use whatever bread you like.
TIPS
- If you don’t have a salad spinner, don’t worry. Give your leaves a good wash, then simply pile them on a clean tea towel, pull up the corners, and swing that parcel about till the leaves are dry.
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