I can’t take credit for this wonderfully flavoursome starter, although this version of Chef Paul Welburn’s dish is a little lighter; the croquettes being oven baked rather than deep fried. This playful take on a classic salad may seem a little time consuming, but believe me the flavours are amazing and it’s well worth the effort.

The original recipe can be found on one of my favourite foodie websites; www.greatbritishchefs.com

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the croquettes:

• 100g of skinless, boneless chicken thigh
• 500ml of chicken stock
• 10g of unsalted butter
• 50g of plain flour
• 25g of Parmesan
• 15g of anchovies, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 10g of parsley, chopped
• salt
• plain flour
• beaten egg
• Panko breadcrumbs

For the Caesar dressing:

• 1 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 anchovy
• 50ml of olive oil
• 75g of Parmesan, finely grated
• Worcestershire sauce, to taste
• lemon juice

For the lettuce puree:

• romaine lettuce, leaves only
• 200g of spinach

To dress the plate:

• Parmesan shavings
• Water cress
• 4 anchovies

Method

Start with the croquette filling, by pouring the chicken stock into a small saucepan. Add the chicken thighs, bring to a simmer and poach for 12–14 minutes until the chicken is just cooked. Leave to cool in the liquid. Once cool, remove the chicken and chop into small pieces. Reserve the stock for the béchamel.

Make a roux with the butter and flour, stirring all the time, and gradually add the stock until a thick béchamel is achieved. Add the Parmesan, anchovies and garlic, then transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Fold through the parsley and chopped chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mix to a tray and place in the fridge until set and firm. When the mixture is set, divide into 12 balls and retain in the fridge.

To make the Caesar dressing, blend the egg yolk, vinegar and the mustard until smooth. Add the anchovy, then slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking. Once emulsified add the finely grated Parmesan, Worcestershire sauce and adjust the consistency with a touch of warm water and lemon juice. The dressing should be a little loose. Pour into a squeezy bottle or jug and refrigerate until required.

Prepare three bowls for crumbing: one with flour, one with beaten egg and one with panko breadcrumbs. Roll the croquettes through each bowl, ensuring that the croquettes are completely covered in the breadcrumbs. These need to be really cold before cooking, so refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.

To make the lettuce puree, bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and blanch the lettuce and spinach for 2 minutes. Drain well and squeeze out any excess water before transferring to a blender. Blitz until smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Transfer the puree to a squeezy bottle or jug and refrigerate until required.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°c / gas mark 4. Transfer the croquettes to a baking tray immediately before placing in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Some of the filling may ooze out during cooking (so the colder the better before they go into the oven). Don’t panic, let them sit for a minute or two before plating and they will firm up.

To plate drizzle the plate with the lettuce puree, 3 croquettes per portion and a dot of Caesar dressing. Garnish with watercress leaves, shaved Parmesan and anchovies.