Render unto your Caesar a fresh touch

I love Caesar salads, but only if they’re well-made and chock full of anchovies and garlic. In this version, I’ve broken out the ingredients from the dressing and used them directly in the salad. Using sautéed garlic instead of raw gives a lighter touch, and taking the egg out and cooking it gives the salad a trendy look and taste.

This fall dinner was conceived during a visit to the Wychwood market at the old streetcar barns in Toronto. I bought all the ingredients there except the trout, which I found at Tuesday’s Trinity Bellwoods market. It is superb trout, caught the night before, cleaned immediately and whisked to the market. You can also try a reputable fishmonger.

DECONSTRUCTED CAESAR SALAD

If you prefer the anchovies in the dressing, just cut them up and add them as indicated in the recipe, but I like about six strewn over the salad. The croutons have a different look than the little squares; they are much more interesting as all different shapes. Tear out the inside of a ciabatta loaf or sourdough. Leftover croutons keep well in a plastic bag in a cupboard. Do not refrigerate. The poached eggs can be made ahead of time and served cold or rewarmed in hot water for a minute.

Ingredients

Garlic croutons

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic cloves

4 cups torn bread

Dressing

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons yogurt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 chopped anchovies

¼ teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad

4 eggs, poached for 3 minutes

1 small head romaine lettuce, torn

½ sweet onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove garlic from oil and set aside.

Toss bread with oil in skillet until well coated. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning pieces once, or until crisp and golden. Let cool.

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Worcestershire, anchovies, lemon rind and juice in a bowl and whisk until uniform. Drizzle in olive oil, a little at a time, and whisk until fully incorporated. Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss romaine with dressing until lightly coated. Divide between 4 bowls and sprinkle with croutons, fried garlic, onion and shaved parmesan. Top each salad with a poached egg. Serves 4.

TROUT WITH PAN VEGETABLES

A simple fall dish that uses lovely fall produce. Cavolo nero is also known as black kale or Tuscan cabbage, and has a strong, rounded flavour and less bitterness than regular kale.

Ingredients

4 fillets of trout, about 8 ounces (250 grams) each

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, cut in slices

1 yellow zucchini cut in 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

1 green zucchini, sliced

4 radishes, cut in quarters

1 bunch cavolo nero, sliced

1 cup fish or chicken stock

1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Method

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Pat trout skin dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat oil on high heat in an oven-proof skillet large enough to hold the trout (or use 2 skillets). Place trout in skillet, skin side down, and sear for 1 minute or until skin is seared. Remove from skillet and set aside on a plate.

Add red onion and zucchini to skillet and sauté for 3 minutes, then add radishes and cavolo nero. Stir everything together and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over stock and tarragon, scraping the bottom of pan for and sticky bits. Bring to boil and simmer 3 minutes.

Place trout on top, skin side up, and place in oven. Bake 6 to 10 minutes or until white juices appear on trout. Remove skin before serving. Serve with vegetables and sauce in pan. Garnish with chives. Serves 4.

ROASTED PEARS WITH CREAMY SPICED CARAMEL SAUCE

Ripe pears take less time to roast. If your pears are really hard, bake them for 10 minutes in an empty baking dish before adding the rest of the ingredients. I prefer Anjou pears for this dish, as they take on the flavours of the spices best, but Bartlett pears would be a good substitute. The salty finish adds flavour and cuts sweetness.

Ingredients

4 firm Anjou pears, peeled, halved and cored

1 cup apple juice

½ cup white wine

½ cup whipping cream

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon allspice berries

1 teaspoon peppercorns

1 4-inch cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

Method

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place pears, cut-side down, in a baking dish just large enough to hold a single layer. Combine apple juice, white wine, whipping cream, sugar, peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon and salt. Pour over pears.

Place in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes or until pears are tender and translucent. If the pears are not covered with liquid you may need to turn them over halfway through cooking.

Strain sauce into a pot and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce is golden and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Pour sauce over pears and sprinkle each pear with an extra tiny pinch of salt just before serving. Serves 4.

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