This is our take on a classic Caesar salad using buttermilk or kefir instead of mayonnaise to support gut health. We love using seasonal ingredients and have used a classic asparagus and eggs combination instead of chicken. For a vegetarian option, you could use a vegetarian hard cheese instead of Parmesan and capers instead of anchovies.
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C. Cut 1 medium ciabatta into bite-sized croutons. Place on an oven tray and sprinkle over 2 tbsp
olive oil and season with sea salt and a twist of ground black pepper. Mix well. Bake for 8-10 mins, turning the croutons, if necessary so they brown evenly.
Coat the asparagus with 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in the same oven for around 10 minutes. They should be just cooked but still crunchy.
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook for around 6 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold or iced water and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel, cut in halves and season with sea salt and black pepper.
Mash up the anchovy fillets and garlic in a bowl with a fork, or pestle and mortar, to a smooth paste. Add the grated parmesan, buttermilk and white wine vinegar. Mix well and season to taste. It should be the consistency of yogurt – if it is thicker, stir in a few tablespoons water or the oil from the anchovies, to thin it.
Place the lettuce in a large bowl or a serving plate. Scatter half of the croutons over the lettuce. Add most of the dressing and mix well. Scatter the roasted asparagus, boiled eggs, shaved parmesan and croutons, then drizzle with the remaining dressing.
For a more substantial meal you may wish to add marinated and griddled chicken breasts or boneless thighs.You could replace buttermilk with homemade mayonnaise for a less healthy option! For a vegetarian option, use a vegetarian Parmesan style cheese and use capers instead of anchovies.
