EL TORITO SOUTHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD
El Torito Restaurant's Caesar salad has been a popular favorite for decades; I obtained the recipe in 1994 when it was published in the Los Angeles Times and have made it many times since. The recipe contains some Mexican ingredients such as pepitas, which are roasted pumpkin seeds, avilable at Trader Joes, as well as at Mexican markets. The cotija cheese ia a Mexican grating cheese. If not available use any hard grating cheese such as Parmesan.
Provided by lynnski LA
Categories Salad Dressings
Time 43m
Yield 6 salads, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cut tortillas into matchstick-size strips; then heat oil for deep-frying . Add tortilla strips and cook for a few seconds until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon, drain and set aside.
- Tear romaine lettuce into bite size pieces and place greens on six salad plates.
- Ladle Cilantro-Pesto dressing on each salad and sprinkle each dish with cotija cheese and tortilla strips.
- Arrange four red pepper strips like spokes on top of each salad and garnish with pepitas.
- For the Dressing.
- Place chile, pepitas, garlic, pepper, salt, oil, vinegar and cotija cheese in a blender or food processor; and blend for about 10 seconds, then add cilantro, bit by bit, until smoothly blended.
- Place mayonnaise and water in large stainless-steel bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add blended chile mixture and mix thoroughly.
- If the dressing is made ahead, place in an airtight container and refrigerate. May be stored up to three days.
MEXICAN CAESAR SALAD
Wonderfully different salad! Great topped with grilled steak or chicken or as part of a Mexican themed dinner...
Provided by dukeswalker
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time 30m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Place all dressing ingredients except cilantro, mayo and water in a blender or food processor. blend approx 10 sec., then add cilantro and blend until smooth.
- Place mayo & water in a glass jar or bowl and shake or whisk until combined - add the blended ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate, will keep for 3 days.
- Cut tortillas into match sized sticks. Heat oil in saute pan over med-high; fry tortillas until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
- Tear lettuce into bite size pieces, toss in large bowl with half of the crumbled cheese, roasted peppers, pepitas and as much salad dressing as you wish. Top with the remaining cheese, roasted peppers, pepitas and fried tortilla strips.
- NOTE***Cojita is a hard cheese, similar to parmesan, found in some grocery stores and most mexican markets. To make assembly easier I often use crumbled tortilla chips. I also buy the jarred roasted red peppers packed in water & already roasted pepitas - I'm too lazy to roast my own! I've also subbed shelled, roasted sunflower seeds for the pepitas - and it was ok (not as good as the pepitas).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 434.4, Fat 36.4, SaturatedFat 7.5, Cholesterol 16.6, Sodium 397.6, Carbohydrate 21, Fiber 5.5, Sugar 5, Protein 11.5
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