El Toritos Mexican Caesar Salad Food

EL TORITO SOUTHWESTERN CAESAR SALAD

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

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.