Thanksgiving caesar salad

A couple of twists and tweaks to the beloved classic caesar salad to make it a little more fun for the holiday season. There’s a parmesan cracker to substitute croutons and crispy prosciutto for extra crunch.

My caesar salad dressing calls for soy sauce and lime juice. I really stand by it!

Makes one large salad, serves 3-4 people as a side.

Ingredients:

1 head of romaine lettuce, leaves torn from stem, kept whole

1 head of radicchio lettuce, leaves torn from stem, kept whole

6 prosciutto strips

The dressing:

1/3 cup kewpie mayonnaise

3 brown anchovies, minced

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 tbsp lime juice

1 heaping tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 cup grated parmesan (the crumbly kind)

big pinch of salt and cracked black pepper

The cracker:

1 cup grated parmesan (the crumbly kind)

1 cup panko bread crumbs

Method:

Preheat oven to 175C/350F.

Bake the prosciutto and parmesan cracker: line two baking sheets each with baking paper and place prosciutto slices flat down 1/2 inch apart on one sheet and parmesan and panko on the other. Pat down the parmesan and panko mix so it becomes an even, thin, flat square. Bake for 15-20 mins, removing from the oven once they are both crispy and a deep golden color. Let cool all the way, then break both apart into small pieces.

Make the dressing: Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust for salt, parmesan, lime, any of the ingredients.

Toss the leaves: Add romaine and radicchio to the mixing bowl with the dressing and toss to evenly coat the salad.

Assemble: transfer salad to a serving platter, garnish with prosciutto crisps and parmesan crackers. Enjoy straight away.