Copycat El Toritos Mexican Caesar Salad Recipe Cdkitchencom

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.

MEXICAN CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• Place all dressing ingredients except cilantro, mayo and water in a blender or food processor. blend approx 10 sec., then add cilantro and blend until smooth.
• Place mayo & water in a glass jar or bowl and shake or whisk until combined - add the blended ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate, will keep for 3 days.
• Cut tortillas into match sized sticks. Heat oil in saute pan over med-high; fry tortillas until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.
• Tear lettuce into bite size pieces, toss in large bowl with half of the crumbled cheese, roasted peppers, pepitas and as much salad dressing as you wish. Top with the remaining cheese, roasted peppers, pepitas and fried tortilla strips.
• NOTE***Cojita is a hard cheese, similar to parmesan, found in some grocery stores and most mexican markets. To make assembly easier I often use crumbled tortilla chips. I also buy the jarred roasted red peppers packed in water & already roasted pepitas - I'm too lazy to roast my own! I've also subbed shelled, roasted sunflower seeds for the pepitas - and it was ok (not as good as the pepitas).

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.