Caesar Parmesan Baskets

Caesar Salad Appetiser:

If you’ve ever had a Caesar salad, you will be familiar with its hallmark ingredients: crisp romaine lettuce (Cos), rich Parmesan cheese, savoury bacon, hardboiled eggs, anchovies and a creamy aioli dressing. But have you ever thought of transforming this classic salad into a mouthwatering appetiser? Entertain with Caesar Salad appetiser baskets – a deconstructed version, where the Parmesan cheese forms a crispy, cheesy, edible basket that holds the salad.

Why I love Caesar Salad

I absolutely adore Caesar salad, and to be honest, I’m not sure if it’s the smokey bacon, the nutty Parmesan cheese, the creamy hardboiled eggs, or the tangy garlic aioli that I love more or just the combination of them all. Each ingredient brings something special to the table, creating a perfect blend of flavours and textures that I find irresistible. This love for Caesar salad inspired me to create these mini caesar salad appetiser baskets, perfect for parties and gatherings.

Perfect for Entertaining

When hosting a party, it’s essential to offer a variety of foods to cater to different tastes. In addition to fried foods, chips, and dips, as well as healthy raw options, it’s nice to provide something substantial that isn’t overly rich or processed. That’s where these Caesar Salad appetiser baskets come in. They are elegant, flavourful, and substantial enough to satisfy your guests without being too heavy.

The Classic Appeal of Chicken Caesar Salad

Chicken Caesar Salad is a beloved classic for a reason. It offers a perfect balance of flavours and textures – from the crisp lettuce and crunchy bacon to the savoury chicken and creamy aioli. It’s not just a salad; it’s a meal that leaves you feeling satisfied. Plus, it’s versatile enough to be enjoyed year-round. These appetiser baskets capture all the best elements of the traditional Caesar salad while adding the extras & an interesting presentation.

The Challenge of Parmesan Baskets

Creating the Parmesan baskets can be a bit fiddly, but the results are well worth the effort. The key is to work quickly while the cheese is hot and pliable & not add too much cheese as the amount directly relates to how easy they are to mould. As the grated Parmesan melts and then cools, it forms a lacy, crispy basket that holds the salad beautifully (so long as you don’t use too much cheese). While it might take a few tries to perfect the technique, don’t be discouraged. The end result is a creamy, crunchy, and cheesy appetiser that your guests will love.

A Crowd-Pleasing Appetiser

These Caesar Salad appetiser baskets are not only delicious but also visually appealing. The combination of creamy aioli, crisp lettuce, crunchy bacon, and optionally, anchovies, all nestled in a delicate Parmesan basket, is a showstopper. Even those who claim to dislike salad might find themselves reaching for seconds. The flavours and textures meld together perfectly, making each bite a delicious experience. I probably wouldn’t make these for 50 people but the are perfect for smaller gatherings.

Try It Yourself

If you’re looking for a new and exciting appetiser to serve at your next gathering, give these Caesar Salad appetiser baskets a try. They’re sure to keep your guests satiated and add a touch of elegance to your party spread. Plus, they’re a fun and creative way to enjoy the traditional flavours of a classic Caesar salad. Give these a go and see what you think – you might just discover a new favourite party dish!

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Caesar Parmesan Baskets

(Serves 12 Prep 30 Mins)

You Will Need:

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

• Shredded Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese is a hard, granular cheese that originates from Italy. Its rich, nutty flavour makes it a key ingredient in Caesar salads. For this recipe, use shredded Parmesan cheese. Grating your own cheese from a block of Parmesan can make a noticeable difference compared to pre-shredded options, as it retains more moisture and flavour., however I have used a pack of shredded which comes in 250g- 300g packs.

• Granulated Garlic: Granulated Garlic or Garlic granules are dried and ground garlic cloves, providing a convenient way to add garlic flavour without the mess of peeling and chopping fresh garlic. They disperse evenly throughout the dish, offering a consistent garlic taste. They are perfect for seasoning chicken or croutons in the salad & just add a subtle garlic flavour. (your other option for more flavour would be to add finely chopped fresh rosemary.

• Short-Cut Bacon: Short-cut bacon is leaner than traditional bacon, coming from the back of the pig rather than the belly. It has a higher meat-to-fat ratio, making it a healthier option that still delivers the desired crispy texture and smokey flavour. Fry or bake it until crispy, then chop into bite-sized pieces to add a delicious crunch to your salad.

• Baby Cos Lettuce: Baby Cos lettuce, or Cos lettuce hearts, also known as baby romaine, has tender, crisp leaves that are smaller and sweeter than mature Cos lettuce & It also has a mild flavour. Any lettuce would do however for this recipe. Baby cos is just my go-to.

• Hardboiled Eggs: Hardboiled eggs add protein and a creamy texture to the salad. It’s not a Caesr salad without the egg!

• Shredded Roast Chicken: Roast chicken provides another protein element to the salad. Use either homemade or store-bought roast chicken. I have used packs of roast chicken from the supermarket where the packs of sliced ham are. BBQ cook would be a great substitute too.

• Garlic Aioli: Garlic aioli is a creamy, garlicky mayonnaise that serves as the dressing for the Caesar salad. It adds a rich, tangy flavour that complements the other ingredients perfectly. For an extra kick, you can make your own aioli by blending mayonnaise with fresh garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of Dijon mustard or you could alternatively use mayonnaise. I am addicted to garlic aioli, so that is my go-to.

• Croutons: You can use the traditional crouton (of which I had run out of). Homemade croutons can be made by cubing day-old bread, tossing it with olive oil, garlic granules, and chopped rosemary, then baking until golden and crispy. I like to use store-bought for convenience. Alternatively, as I have done here, I substituted with Tucker’s rosemary & Thyme ‘dippies’ which work just as well.

• Anchovies: Totally optional. Anchovies are small, oily fish that add a bold, salty flavour to Caesar salad (& I mean salty). Not a flavour for everyone even though they are traditionally used in Caesar salad. If you’re not a fan of their polarising taste, you can omit them or use them sparingly. For those who enjoy the taste, rinsing the anchovies under cold water can reduce their saltiness and make them more palatable.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven: Turn your oven to 200 C (180°C fan-forced). Ovens vary in temperature so you will need to keep an eye on your cheese.
2. Hard-boil eggs: To hard boil the eggs, place them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to the boil on high heat, then turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid or plate. Let the eggs rest in the hot water for 10 minutes then drain the water. When the eggs have cooled- peel & dice.
3. Prepare the cheese baskets: Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place tablespoonfuls of shredded Parmesan cheese on the baking paper and flatten them, making sure to leave space between each. Try 6 at a time as they cool quickly when removed from the oven and once they cool, you won’t be able to mould. Repeat this process until you have made 12 portions, depending on your baking tray size). Sprinkle each Parmesan cracker with granulated garlic or Rosemary if adding.
4. Bake the Cheese: Bake the cheese for 5-7 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. You don’t want overcooked cheese as it will quickly become crispy and you will be unable to mould it without it crumbling. Remove from the oven and while the crackers are still hot essentially, peel the Parmesan rounds off the parchment paper & gently mould each over the back of a muffin tin to create a basket shape. Repeat with all the cheese crackers. Use gloves & a small piece of parchment if it is too hot for you.
5. Cook the bacon: Cook the bacon for approx 10 minutes in an air fryer at 200°C or pan fry over a medium-high heat until browned & crispy, then drain on a paper towel. You could also use crispy fried pancetta or prosciutto.
6. Shred the lettuce: You don’t want the lettuce to overtake the salad as you want to show off the other ingredients, so shred it reasonably finely, that way you can fit more of the salad into the Parmesan baskets. Place it in a medium-sized bowl.
7. Add your diced egg: Once the egg is cooled (to avoid making the lettuce soggy), peel and dice them and add to the salad bowl.
8. Cook the bacon: It is quick with less mess, to cook the bacon in the airfryer (Aircrisp 200 C x 10mins) but if you need to fry it, then heat a fry-pan on medium-high heat over the stove & when the pan is hot, add your bacon and cook until browned. I find it alot easier to use scissors when slicing your crispy bacon. You want a little bit of crunch. Add it to the bowl.
9. Shred your roast chicken: You can buy packs of roast chicken at the supermarket. I have used this as it makes your job a lot easier & saves on time. BBQ chicken would also work here.
10. Add Croutons: Croutons come in a box with 2 packs inside. For these mini baskets, I would propably cut each crouton in half. I actually ran out, so I substituted with Tucker’s ‘dippies’ (Rosemary & Thyme). Just break up the crackers, or add your croutons and add to the bowl.
11. Add Garlic Aioli: I hate my salads dripping in salad dressing! It is my pet hate at restaurants and I usually ask for dressing on the side. I have only used a couple of Tablespoons to bring all the ingredients together but you can add more. Toss your salad to combine all the ingredients. I do say to add your salad just before serving so you don’t end up with soggy Parmesan baskets.
12. Fill the baskets: Fill your parmesan baskets just prior to serving. As I already mentioned, you don’t want soggy baskets, so I do suggest adding the salad just prior to serving. Optionally, you can add a little more shredded Parmesan to make them cheesier or some dill to make them herbaceous.
13. Serve & enjoy!

Helpful Hints

• Once you melt the Parmesan cheese, You need to mould them into baskets immediately. The easiest way is to use the back side of a mini muffin tray and mould the cheese over the muffin cups. You want about 1 Tbsp cheese for each basket & your final product should be lacy in texture to ensure easy moulding.

• If you overcook your cheese, it will crumble & not hold together when you try to mould it. Don’t throw away any cheese crumbs though, you can add them into your salad.

• These are best served fresh and you are better to fill the baskets with salad just before serving so the salad doesn’t become soggy.

• Allow for extra Parmesan, as it might take a couple of goes to get your baskets right.

• Anchovies are optional, they are an acquired taste, which, I have grown to love over the years and I do tend to make my Caesar salad with anchovies, but I have left them out for this recipe- mainly because I had run out!

• You could add finely chopped fresh rosemary to the Parmesan for additional flavour. I have even added the zest of a lemon which added a nice citrusy note.

• Finely chopped red onion would make a great addition to your salad & even some chopped dill.

• You can buy ready-made croutons at the supermarket, which I usually use but as I was out of them, I substituted with Tucker’s ‘dippies’ this time which are long thin cracker sticks that I crumbled.

Caesar Parmesan Baskets

Recipe

(Serves 12 Prep 30 Mins)

Ingredients

• Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Granulated Garlic
• 6 Baby Cos lettuce leaves shredded
• 4 rashers short cut bacon
• 3 eggs Hardboiled
• 100 g Roast or bbq chicken
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Aioli
• 50g croutons or 3 Rosemary & Garlic sticks
• 6 Anchovies sliced (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced).
2. To hard boil the eggs, place them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to the boil on high heat, then turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid or plate. Let the eggs rest in the hot water for 10 minutes then drain the water. When the eggs have cooled- peel & dice.
3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
4. Place tablespoonfuls of shredded Parmesan cheese on the baking paper and flatten them, making sure to leave space between each.
5. Repeat this process until you have made 12 portions (you might need to bake them in 2 separate batches, depending on your baking try size).
6. Sprinkle each Parmesan cracker with granulated garlic.
7. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
8. Remove from the oven and while the crackers are still warm, peel the Parmesan rounds off the parchment paper & gently mould each over the back of a muffin tin to create a basket shape. Repeat with all the cheese crackers.
9. Cook the bacon for about 10 minutes in an air fryer at 200°C or pan fry over a med high heat until browned then drain on a paper towel.
10. Shred the lettuce and place it in a small bowl.
11. Add your diced egg
12. Use scissors to slice your crispy bacon & add to the bowl.
13. Use scissors to finely shred your roast chicken
14. Break up your Rosemary sticks or croutons and add to the salad.
15. Add garlic aioli and toss to combine.
16. Fill your parmesan baskets just prior to serving.
17. Optionally, you can add a little more shredded Parmesan to make them cheesier.
18. Serve & enjoy!

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

• Sauvignon Blanc: This wine’s bright acidity and citrus notes enhance the nutty, salty flavours of Parmesan cheese, creating a refreshing contrast. It’s high acidity and green flavours cut through the richness of the aioli, providing a refreshing contrast.
• Chardonnay: A lightly oaked Chardonnay, with its creamy texture and subtle vanilla notes, complements the richness of Parmesan cheese beautifully, whereas a fuller-bodied, oaked Chardonnay complements the savoury flavours of roast chicken with its rich, buttery notes.
• Pinot Grigio: The crisp, clean profile of Pinot Grigio balances the pungent flavours of garlic, offering a refreshing palate cleanser.
• Pinot Noir: The light tannins and bright red fruit flavours of Pinot Noir cut through the richness of bacon, offering a balanced pairing.
• Zinfandel: Known for its bold fruit flavours and slight spiciness, Zinfandel pairs well with the smokey, savoury taste of bacon.
• Verdicchio: Verdicchio is an Italian white wine, that offers a crisp, clean profile that balances the salty, umami flavours of anchovies.