Around this time last year, we were asked by John and Sally Mc Kenna for a recipe to include in their latest publication , entitled “MILK” , which was to come out later in the summer. Since published, it’s a fantastic and eclectic collection of recipes all with the common theme of using wonderful Irish Milk and ‘uniting the farmer in the field with the cook in the kitchen’.
We chose to use our local buttermilk as the inspiration for our recipe. ‘Cuinneog’ is a family run dairy based near Balla, Co Mayo. They make the most wonderful butter and thick, gloopy , delicious buttermilk – full of goodness and perfect for this recipe.
We’ve departed from the classic Caesar Cardini recipe by replacing some of the oil with buttermilk, but we hope that you like the modification.
‘MILK’ by John and Sally is available to buy at our deli on Spencer street and here from our online shop. It can be posted nationwide.
Our Buttermilk dressing features , at time of writing, as part of of our Caesar Salad meal kit and on our sandwich of the week with slow cooked Andarl farm pork belly.
Visit our CLICK and COLLECTION site for more details
BUTTERMILK CAESAR
Cais na tire, Coolea , Parmesan or suitable hard cheese with a nutty flavour – 50 g grated
Anchovies – 3 fillets
Egg yolks – 3
Dijon Mustard – 1 heaped dessertspoon
Worcestershire sauce – 1 teaspoon
Garlic – 2 cloves
Sunflower oil – 200 ml
Cuinneog Buttermilk – 200 ml
Lemon juice, salt and black Pepper to taste
Method
Combine all ingredients in food processor except oil, milk and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and with motor running drizzle in the oil in a thin steady stream, taking care not to add it too quickly, otherwise it could split and curdle. When th oil is incorporated, keep the motor running and add buttermilk, pouring steadily . Transfer to a bowl and season and add some lemon juice to taste.
Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days, ensuring eggs have at least this as a use by date.
If you’d rather make a mayo using raw eggs as above, you can use some of the ingredients as a base to flavour
some shop bought mayo. Blitz the anchovies, garlic, cheese, mustard and Worcestershire Sauce together and tie the motor running, add about 100 ml of buttermilk in to make a paste….empty a jar of good quality shop bought mayo into bowl and add the Caesar ingredients, seasoning and adding some lemon juice to taste….if required, thin it out a little with some more buttermilk….you’re looking for the consistency of drinking yogurt…
Dress some baby gem or romaine salad leaves and top with some crispy Gubbeen bacon lardons, and shavings of your chosen cheese.
