**El Torito's Southwestern Caesar Salad: A Culinary Fusion of Mexican and American Flavors**
Embark on a culinary journey to the vibrant borderlands of Mexico and the American Southwest with El Torito's Southwestern Caesar Salad. This tantalizing dish creatively blends the bold flavors of Mexican cuisine with the classic elegance of the Caesar salad. Featuring a crisp romaine lettuce base, succulent grilled chicken, and a zesty Southwestern Caesar dressing, this salad is sure to tantalize your taste buds and transport you to the sun-kissed vistas of the Southwest. A symphony of flavors and textures awaits you in every bite, as the tangy dressing, made with a unique blend of spices, fresh herbs, and creamy avocado, perfectly complements the smoky grilled chicken and the crisp crunch of the romaine. Delight in the added dimension of cotija cheese, which lends a salty, tangy touch, while the vibrant pico de gallo salsa and crunchy tortilla strips provide a burst of freshness and a satisfying textural contrast. So, get ready to indulge in this culinary masterpiece, a fusion of Mexican and American flavors that will leave you craving more.
SOUTHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD
Provided by Rachael Ray : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 5m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Chop and place romaine in a large salad bowl. Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and chili powder in a small bowl. Continue whisking while streaming in extra-virgin olive oil. When dressing is combined, toss Romaine salad with dressing and garnish salad with broken tortilla chips, smoked cheddar and pepper Jack cheese. Season with salt and pepper and toss again, then serve.
- Yield: Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: none Ease of preparation: easy
EL TORITO SOUTHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD
El Torito Restaurant's Caesar salad has been a popular favorite for decades; I obtained the recipe in 1994 when it was published in the Los Angeles Times and have made it many times since. The recipe contains some Mexican ingredients such as pepitas, which are roasted pumpkin seeds, avilable at Trader Joes, as well as at Mexican markets. The cotija cheese ia a Mexican grating cheese. If not available use any hard grating cheese such as Parmesan.
Provided by lynnski LA
Categories Salad Dressings
Time 43m
Yield 6 salads, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Cut tortillas into matchstick-size strips; then heat oil for deep-frying . Add tortilla strips and cook for a few seconds until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon, drain and set aside.
- Tear romaine lettuce into bite size pieces and place greens on six salad plates.
- Ladle Cilantro-Pesto dressing on each salad and sprinkle each dish with cotija cheese and tortilla strips.
- Arrange four red pepper strips like spokes on top of each salad and garnish with pepitas.
- For the Dressing.
- Place chile, pepitas, garlic, pepper, salt, oil, vinegar and cotija cheese in a blender or food processor; and blend for about 10 seconds, then add cilantro, bit by bit, until smoothly blended.
- Place mayonnaise and water in large stainless-steel bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add blended chile mixture and mix thoroughly.
- If the dressing is made ahead, place in an airtight container and refrigerate. May be stored up to three days.
EL TORITO CILANTRO AND PEPITA SALAD DRESSING
I love this dressing at El Torito. I could sit there and just eat it with a spoon. I found this copy-cat recipe and I wanted to post it so I can make it myself, and secretly eat it straight from the jar :-)
Provided by Aussie-In-California
Categories Salad Dressings
Time 20m
Yield 1 Quart, 64 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Place all dressing ingredients except cilantro, mayonnaise and water in a blender of food processor.
- Blend approximately 10 seconds, and then add cilantro little by little until blended smooth.
- Depending on size of blender, it may be necessary to do in batches.
- Place mayonnaise and water in a large stainless steel bowl, and mix with a wire whip until smooth.
- Add the blended ingredients to the mayonnaise mixture, and mix thoroughly.
- Place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
- Will keep for three days.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 54.3, Fat 5.8, SaturatedFat 0.9, Cholesterol 0.7, Sodium 44.4, Carbohydrate 0.3, Fiber 0.1, Sugar 0.1, Protein 0.4
SOUTHWEST CAESAR SALAD
This is a nice change and goes great with a Tortilla or Mexican Casserole. A quick and easy recipe that is great using shortcuts (I love shortcuts). I add the Quick Chili Croutons for an extra zip. My family really enjoyed this salad which I got from Kraftfoods.com.
Provided by PickyEaters
Categories Low Cholesterol
Time 20m
Yield 6 cups, 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Toss lettuce, corn, bell pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl.
- Mix dressing with cayenne.
- Add dressing to salad and toss.
- Top with parmesan and croutons.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 125.3, Fat 4.1, SaturatedFat 1.7, Cholesterol 7.8, Sodium 170.2, Carbohydrate 18.3, Fiber 4.1, Sugar 2.2, Protein 6.7
THE HOUSTONIAN'S SOUTHWEST CAESAR SALAD
This is posted in response to a request. This salad is absolutely delicious. It's a popular menu item at the Houstonian Hotel.
Provided by PanNan
Categories Black Beans
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- Prepare dressing first.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine yolk, garlic, mustard, anchovies, pepper, salt, coriander, cumin, Worcestershire and water.
- Process all until smooth.
- With motor running, pour oils in a slow, steady stream into egg mixture.
- When all oil has been incorporated, add chili paste, lemon and lime juices and Parmesan.
- Process until smooth.
- Prepare salad next.
- Spin or pat lettuce dry.
- Place in large salad bowl.
- Add dressing; toss lightly.
- Add beans and corn; toss again.
- Divide mixture among 4 chilled plates.
- Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and cheese.
- Garnish with tortilla chips.
EL TORITO'S SOUTHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD RECIPE
Provided by á-174942
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- * Note: If cotija cheese is unavailable, use any hard grating cheese, such as cacique or even Parmesan. Cut tortillas into matchstick-size strips. Heat oil for deep-frying and add tortilla strips. Cook a few seconds until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, drain and set aside. Tear romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces. Place greens on six salad plates and ladle Cilantro-Pepita Dressing on each salad. Sprinkle each dish with cotija cheese and tortilla strips. Arrange four red pepper strips like spokes on top of each salad and garnish with pepitas. Cilantro-Pepita Dressing: Place chile, pepitas, garlic, pepper, salt, oil, vinegar and cotija cheese in blender or food processor. Blend about 10 seconds, then add cilantro, bit by bit, until smoothly blended. Place mayonnaise and water in large stainless-steel bowl and whisk until smooth. Add blended chile mixture and mix thoroughly. Place in airtight container and refrigerate. Dressing may be stored up to three days. (Makes about 2 cups) This recipe yields 6 servings.
CREAMY CILANTRO SALAD DRESSING
This is my best take on the dressing that is used in the El Torito restaurants in southern California. Be sure to toss some roasted pepitas and crumbled Cotija or Manchengo cheese on top of your salad for the full effect!
Provided by Jim M
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Salad Dressing Recipes
Time 1h15m
Yield 24
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Blend mayonnaise, canola oil, pumpkin seeds, water, vinegar, Cotija cheese, roasted chile peppers, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth, about 1 minutes. Add cilantro in batches, blending each to incorporate completely before adding the next, 30 to 60 seconds per batch.
- Pour dressing into an air-tight container and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 179.8 calories, Carbohydrate 1.6 g, Cholesterol 6.7 mg, Fat 19.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1.1 g, SaturatedFat 2.6 g, Sodium 145.1 mg, Sugar 0.4 g
Tips:
- For a crispier salad, use romaine lettuce hearts instead of whole heads of romaine.
- To make the dressing ahead of time, whisk together all of the ingredients except for the avocado and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve, add the avocado and toss with the salad.
- If you don't have any ancho chile powder, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin.
- For a spicier salad, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the dressing.
- To make the salad more filling, add some grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
Conclusion:
El Torito's Southwestern Caesar Salad is a delicious and easy-to-make salad that is perfect for any occasion. With its crispy romaine lettuce, creamy avocado dressing, and Southwestern spices, this salad is sure to be a hit. So next time you're looking for a healthy and flavorful salad, give this recipe a try.
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