Chicken Caesar Nicoise Thingy

Over the weekend I created a salad inspired by a restaurant meal I had with my partner a few weeks ago. The highlight of that meal for me was the anchovies, for which I chose the meal, having never tried them before. The taste was unexpectedly sweet and piquant, the perfect accent to the Caesar salad upon which they nestled. Desperate to recreate this Caesar salad I purchased some tinned anchovies from my local supermarket and rushed home, eager to sample them.

Oh! The horror!

Oily and salty and dense fibrous flesh, so disappointing. They couldn't possibly be the same animal? I was later informed that the anchovies I had eaten might perhaps be marinated. The marinated variety proved harder to source than I anticipated, no marinated anchovies for me that week, or the next... My brother and I happened upon them by chance at the delicatessen section of our local supermarket last Friday. We shrieked with delight at the deli assistant when he informed us these anchovies were indeed marinated. The sample confirmed these were the illusive anchovies I sought. We made rather a scene, cheerily scooping all the anchovies that would fit (all of them) into the tiny pot provided until the marinade oozed from the sides onto my fingers... and the deli counter... and the floor.

Oops!

So these Boquerones, (the trendy term, I am informed), were to decorate our salad.

Well, my partner and my brother were hankering after some boiled eggs in this salad, so in they went, additional to the various other ingredients, that led me to the conclusion this salad was part way between Caesar and Nicoise... Caescoise anyone?

Atop the Caesar dressed lettuce, cucumber and cherry tomato, lies chicken, bacon, boiled eggs, yellow peppers, spring onion, feta and the beloved anchovies. The feta was a gamble but passable. I think shavings of Parmesan, or the more competitively price Grana Padano would have been a better choice. This had a warm reception with the men of the household. I shall definitely be making it again.


Boquerones Salad - Serves 4

500g chicken breast - cut into chunks
200g bacon - diced
6 boiled eggs
Half a lettuce - shredded
Half a cucumber - sliced 
500g cherry tomatoes - halved
1 yellow pepper - sliced
Bunch of spring onions (scallions) - finely sliced
Caesar dressing - 200ml
300g marinated anchovies
70g Parmesan

Fry the chicken and bacon until browned in a griddle on a medium heat. Whilst frying, toss the salad ingredients in the marinade and plate up. Apportion the anchovies and eggs to each plate and top with fried chicken and bacon. Shave Parmesan on top to serve.


An alternative would be to serve marinated anchovies on a bed of sliced baby potatoes and asparagus spears, with eggs and chive salad sauce.