Ensalada Mexicana Caesar

12-15 small servings

1 large head of romaine lettuce, rinsed, spun, broken into bite-size pieces
Sauce/dressing
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets
1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup olive oil
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
10 grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, cubed
Parmesan corn tortilla crunchies (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 400°F

Prepare lettuce and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. Blend garlic, anchovies and their oil, mustard, the half cup of cheese, and lime juice in blender or food processor. With the motor still running, add the oil in a thin stream to thicken the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and taste.

Marinate tomatoes and avocado cubes in some of the dressing and chill until needed. Toss lettuce in large bowl with dressing until lightly coated. Add avocado, tomatoes, and tortilla crunchies and toss again. Serve with extra cheese.

Parmesan corn tortilla crunchies: cut 5 corn tortillas in julienne strips and coat lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with some parmesan cheese and salt. Spread tortilla strips thinly on a baking sheet and bake until crisp turning baking sheet every 10 minutes to allow for even baking. Keep a close eye as they burn easily.