Meatball Caesar

It was a hot and thundery night when I made this salad.  It followed a day of binge-watching the tennis.  I do it every year when the Australian Open is on.  I sit down to watch a couple of change-of-ends and by the time I turn around, I've consumed 5 sets.  Then I'm so invested, I keep watching until the end of the afternoon session.  That means dinner has to be cooked and eaten before the evening session begins, just so I don't miss a shot.  Tennis tragic? Game-Set-Match.

Meatball Caesar

adapted from here

Serves 4

For the Meatballs:

500g ground chicken

1 salad onion, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 egg

Tabasco, to taste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I use Japanese Worcestershire)

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons panko

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Dressing:

1 egg

1 garlic clove, chopped

Juice 1 lime

1 teaspoon American mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I use Japanese Worcestershire)

100ml extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup Parmesan, some shaved, some finely grated for dressing the salad

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

100g Kaiserfleisch, thinly sliced

A good-size chunk of sourdough, crust removed and torn into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

300g mixed salad leaves

Make the Meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 200C.  Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Set aside.

Put all the meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands.  Roll the mixture into 20 balls.  Place the balls onto the prepared baking tray and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up.

Make the Dressing:

Put all the dressing ingredients into a small food processor and blitz until smooth.  Set aside.

Make the Salad:

Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Lay the Kaiserfleisch on in in one layer.  Top with another sheet of baking paper, put another baking tray on top, sandwiching the bacon between the two trays and cook in the oven until crisp 10 - 15 minutes.  Remove from the tray and drain on kitchen paper.

Wipe the bottom tray with some kitchen paper and place the torn sourdough on it.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and bake in the oven until crisp and golden, about 7 - 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Take the meatballs out of the fridge, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and bake in the oven for  25 - 30 minutes,  until cooked and golden.  Set aside.

Put the salad greens into a large serving bowl.  Top with croutons, meatballs and bacon.  Drizzle with dressing, toss gently to coat everything in the dressing.  Sprinkle with shaved and grated Parmesan.