Caesar Salad - Gault’s On Quay

“At Gault’s on Quay, this Caesar salad was served in a white bowl resting on a VW hub cap! Good anchovies make all the difference here. ” — Simon Gault

Serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil
4 slices pancetta
2 cups diced bread
1 tsp celery salt or your favourite salt
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1 cos lettuce, outer leaves discarded
Parmigiano-Reggiano, to serve
4 good-quality anchovy fillets
½ cup aioli
4 egg yolks
cracked black pepper, to taste

Caesar dressing 

¾ tsp mustard powder
½ tsp caster sugar
⅓ tsp salt
2 tbsp water
165ml canola oil
1 egg yolk
2–3 good-quality anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic
½ tsp lime juice
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
¾ tsp mustard
2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
⅓ cup each canola and olive oil

First make a vinaigrette using the first four ingredients of the dressing. Put the mustard powder, sugar, salt and water in a bowl. Combine with a whisk until smooth then transfer to a blender. On a medium speed, slowly dribble in 100ml canola oil. Combine the remaining 65ml canola oil with 65ml water then slowly dribble the mix into the blender until combined. Transfer to a bowl. Wash the blender out.

Now place the egg yolk, anchovies, garlic, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and Parmigiano-Reggiano in the blender and blend on medium speed until combined. While blending, slowly add the combined oils in a thin, steady stream until incorporated. Mix in the vinaigrette and set aside.

For the salad, heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the pancetta and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Place bread cubes into the same pan and fry until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels, then toss with celery salt.

Rub a bowl with the cut garlic, then add three-quarters of a cup of Caesar dressing. Rinse and dry the lettuce leaves, add to the bowl and toss well to coat in dressing. Divide among four serving plates.

Using a potato peeler, shave some Parmigiano-Reggiano over the dressed leaves, top with croûtons and pancetta, then drape an anchovy fillet over each serving. Divide the aïoli among four small serving dishes, top each with a raw egg yolk, and garnish with black pepper. Serve salad with aïoli and egg on the side, to be mixed together at the table and drizzled over the salad.

Note: You can purchase many of the ingredients needed for Simon’s Caesar Salad from his awesome deli - www.gaultsdeli.co.nz

Recipe and image from Auckland Eats Vol.2. Published by Lazy Susan. 📷: Kieran Scott