Veggie Caesar salad recipe

This veggie Caesar salad recipe means vegetarians can now enjoy this king of salads too. Bella Lodi cheese is very similar to Parmesan but it doesn’t contain rennet, so it’s vegetarian-friendly. But if you’re not adverse to eating meat, then feel free to use classic Parmesan.

Ingredients:

80g ciabatta

Olive oil

160g cauliflower

40g hazelnuts

1 romaine lettuce

1 red chicory

½ a small red onion

For the Caesar dressing:

4 sprigs of fresh chervil

4 sprigs of fresh red basil

Extra virgin olive oil

20g Bella Lodi cheese

2 cloves of garlic

250g natural yoghurt

1tbsp Dijon mustard

1tsp white wine vinegar

10g Bella Lodi cheese (for shavings)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.

Tear the ciabatta into bite-sized pieces, place on a baking tray, then drizzle with olive oil. Place in the hot oven for 10 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Tip the hazelnuts onto another small baking tray, then place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until golden.

To make the Caesar dressing. Peel and crush the garlic into a bowl, finely grate in the cheese, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Remove the ciabatta and hazelnuts from the oven. Bash the nuts in a pestle and mortar, then set aside.

Click off any tatty outer leaves from the romaine lettuce, then shred. Click off the chicory leaves.

Using a mandolin, peel and very finely slice the onion, then finely shave the cauliflower.

Place the veg and ciabatta croutons into a bowl, stir in the Caesar dressing, then season to taste.

Transfer to a serving platter, scatter over the hazelnuts and place the herb leaves on top. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and shavings of Bella Lodi.

Recipe courtesy of Waitrose.