HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH CAESAR DRESSING
Fresh heirloom tomatoes are a great vessel for an umami-rich dressing, like in this punchy twist on an anchovy-laden Caesar salad. So delicious, especially when topped with thin, crunchy croûtes.
Ingredients
1 egg, room temperature
1 tin Ortiz anchovies
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ lemon
20g freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for shaving at the end
¼ cup olive oil, plus extra for brushing the croûtes
¼ baguette, ideally 1-2 days old
700g heirloom tomatoes
1-2 Tbsp capers
Method
Put the egg in a pan of cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water. When cool enough to handle, peel and put into a jug with the anchovies and their oil, plus the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, parmesan, and olive oil.
Blitz to a smooth paste with a stick blender, seasoning to taste with pepper (you probably won’t need salt). Loosen with 1-2 tablespoons of water if necessary, so it is a drizzling consistency. This will keep in the fridge for up to a week (it will thicken as it sits so add more water if necessary).
Cut the baguette very thinly. Brush the with olive oil and bake in a medium oven until golden. This can be done a day or so ahead and kept in an airtight container
When ready to serve, slice the tomatoes and arrange on a platter. Drizzle with the Caesar dressing, then scatter with the capers, and croûtes. Shave the parmesan with a peeler and scatter over the top to serve.