Caesar Salad Pinoy Style

Ingredients:
½ k. letsugas Tagalog
1 tbsp. oil
½ cup Chinese ham, diced
2 pcs. pan de sal
1 tbsp. margarine
¼ cup quezo de bola, grated
For the dressing:
1 tsp. garlic, chopped
2 pcs. eggyolk
2 tbsps. bagoong balayan, mashed & strained
½ tsp. calamansi juice
1 tsp. mustard
3/4 cup corn oil
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp. salt, iodized
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
2 tbsps. quezo de bola, grated

Directions:
Separate letsugas Tagalog leaves.
Wash in running water.
Shake to remove excess water.
Pat dry.
Cut into two the length of the leaves.
Chill.
In a saucepan, heat the oil.
Add the Chinese ham and sauté until crisp.
Set aside.
Cut the pan de sal open.
Spread margarine on each open half.
Cut into cubes.
In the same pan used in the Chinese ham, stir fry the bread cubes until crisp.
Set aside.
Combine crushed garlic with strained bagoong balayan, calamansi juice and mustard. Mix well.
Blend in egg juice and mustard.
Mix well.
Blend in eggyolk.
Pour oil into the egg mixture gradually, blending well after each addition.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add Worcestershire sauce and grated quezo de bola.
Pour a little amount of dressing into the chilled letsugas Tagalog.
Toss leaves gently to coat well with dressing.
Transfer to individual plates.
Top with sautéed Chinese ham, pan de sal "croutons" and grated quezon de bola.

(Variation: Letsugas Tagalog may be replaced with other lettuce varieties in season. Pan de sal may be replaced with sliced bread.)

Visit www.lutongbahay.com for more recipes.