Caesar Salad - with homemade Caesar Salad Dressing

Whizz all ingredients in food processor until smooth, starting with 3 tbsp milk. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired, and use milk to get the dressing to the desired consistency. (Note 6)

Set aside for 20 minutes+ to allow flavours to develop.

Cook - Place bacon into a cold skillet (no oil), then turn onto medium high. As it heats up, the fat will melt so it books in its own fat. Cook until golden, turn, cook other side until golden. Remove onto paper towels, cool, then chop.

Preheat oven to 200°C/375°F (180°C fan-forced).

Toast bread in the toaster for 1 minute (or oven for 2 minutes each side) until surface is dried but not browned (makes it easier to cut)

Rub and cut - Rub both sides of each piece of bread with the cut side of the garlic (Note 7). Remove crust from bread (optional) and cut into cubes - around 1.5 cups.

Bake - Drizzle and toss with 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then bake until golden and crisp, shaking the tray once or twice. Sandwich bread will take around 7 minutes, sourdough and similar breads take 12 - 15 min. Let them cool on the tray.

Toss - Place lettuce in a bowl with 1/2 the Dressing. Toss well, taste, then decide if you want more Dressing.

Assemble - Transfer to serving bowl. (Top with chicken and egg if using) Scatter over with bacon and croutons. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve with the remaining dressing on the side!

Chicken - Either pound the chicken to about 1.2cm/ 1/2" even thickness, or slice each breast in half horizontally. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Use bacon fat remaining in skillet. Cook first side for 5 min, turn then cook the other side for 2 min. Remove, cover loosely with foil and rest for 5 min. Cut into slices.