El Torito's Mexican Caesar Salad
Ingredients:
Cilantro Pepita Dressing:
- 2 medium Anaheim
chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
- 1/3 cup roasted pepitas (pumpkin
seeds)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1
tsp. salt
- 12 oz. salad oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 5 Tbs.
grated Cotija cheese (see note)
- 2 small bunches cilantro, stemmed
- 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup water
Salad:
- 2 corn tortillas
- Vegetable oil
- 1 large (or two small)
heads romaine lettuce, rinsed and spun dry
- 1/3 cup finely grated
Cotija cheese
- Roasted red bell pepper, peeled and cut into julienne
strips
- 1/2 cup pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
Directions:
- Dressing: Place all dressing ingredients except
cilantro, mayonnaise and water in a a blender of food processor.
-
Blend approximately 10 seconds, then add cilantro little by little
until blended smooth. Depending on size of blender, it may be necessary
to do in batches.
- Place mayonnaise and water in a large
stainless steel bowl, and mix with a wire whip until smooth. Add the
blended ingredients to the mayonnaise mixture, and mix thoroughly.
-
Place in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Will keep for three
days.
- Recipe yields 1 quart of dressing.
- To
assemble salad: Cut corn tortillas into matchstick-size strips.
Heat oil in sauté pan; fry tortilla strips until crisp. Remove with
slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Tear
romaine into bite-size pieces. Place greens on salad plates and ladle
approximately 2 ounces of cilantro pepita dressing on each salad.
-
Sprinkle each dish with Cotija cheese and tortilla strips. Arrange
four red pepper strips like spokes on the top of each salad, and garnish
with whole pepitas.
Note: Cotija cheese is a hard cheese,
similar to Parmesan. It is available at some grocery stores and most
Mexican markets. Pepitas are actually pumpkin seeds.
This
recipe is courtesy of Helen, and is a close clone recipe
Close Clone Recipes