Hello Chilli People, 

Best wishes for 2008 from the crew at Byron Bay Chilli Company!  Given all the chocolate we have been happily munching the last few days, we thought to offer a recipe on the light side for the New Year.

Caesar Salad with Grilled Prawns

Created by Caesar Cardini about 80 years ago the Caesar Salad is still a favourite around the world.  Caesar's Hotel on Calle Revolucion in Tijuana, Mexico is the place to eat it if you get the chance.  For those of you staying home these holidays we send the following suggestion.

Our version of the classic Mexican salad has an OzyMex twist- we have replaced the customary grilled chicken strips with grilled prawns and added our international award winning Red Cayenne Chilli Sauce to spice it up. 

Actually a mixture of grilled chicken and prawns wouldn't be so bad either.  As you mix the salad dressing we suggest you add our hot sauce a bit at a time to reach the level of flavour and heat you prefer.

It is our pleasure to share this with you and wish you lotsa Good Food and Love for the New Year,

The Bolands

Ingredients-

¼ cup olive oil

1 large clove garlic

2 cups sourdough bread cubes (about 20mm cubes)

18 large prawns, shelled and deveined

1 head cos lettuce

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Optional:

finely sliced red cayenne chillis

Method-

In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic.  Saute 1 minute and then discard garlic.  Increase heat to high and add bread cubes, turning frequently until browned evenly on all sides and crisp. Drain on paper. Marinate prawns in ¾ cup of the Cayenne Caesar dressing (recipe below) for 1 hour.  Lift prawns from marinade on cook on hot grill on both sides until pink.  Cool slightly.  In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce leaves, dressing and croutons. Arrange prawns on top and sprinkle with additional grated parmesan cheese and red chillis if desired. 

Cayenne Caesar Dressing-

¼ cup fresh lemon or lime juice

¼ cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

4 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 to 4 tablespoons Byron Bay Chilli Company Red Cayenne Chilli Sauce (to suit your taste)

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup olive oil

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the oils until well blended.  Remove the feed tube and gradually pour in the vegetable oil and the olive oil in a steady stream. Once dressing has thickened, store in a closed container in the refrigerator.