Spring salad with anchovy & egg dressing

This salad is a little bit like a Caesar, although there is some disagreement as to whether Caesar Cardini’s original dressing contained anchovies. Al dente vegetables add freshness and contrast to the salty anchovies and soft-poached eggs mingle nicely with the dressing. This salad looks pretty arranged on a platter.

Dressing

6 anchovy fillets, drained

1 large garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp lemon juice Splash of Worcestershire sauce 1⁄2 tsp smooth mild mustard

1⁄2 cup fruity olive oil

Salad

12 baby carrots, topped and tailed 12 asparagus spears, trimmed

1 cup green beans, topped and tailed

2 cups cos lettuce leaves, washed

1 iceberg lettuce heart

4 eggs, lightly poached (yolks should be soft)

Dressing:

Mash anchovies with the side of a heavy-bladed knife. Combine with garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire and mustard in a large bowl. Whisk in oil gradually until dressing is creamy and emulsified.

Salad:

Steam carrots, asparagus and beans until just al dente then plunge into cold water to cool. Dry thoroughly.

Tear cos into bite-sized pieces. Chop iceberg lettuce into chunks. Turn lettuce gently in dressing and arrange on a pretty platter. Arrange vegetables and eggs on top. Spoon dressing over. Serve at once.

Serves 4-6