91Ô­´´

If you’re hosting a lunch and need a meal that’s fun and flavourful to serve a group, or need a dinner side dish to serve with something barbecued, such as steak, ribs or salmon, make a caesar salad bar.

The concept is simple: When it’sÌýtime to serve the meal, you artfully set out ingredients one would use in or on a caesar salad in individual bowls. You then set out serving plates, cutlery, napkins and serving utensils and let your guests build their own designer caesar salad from those ingredients.

Chopped romaine is most often used as the base ingredient in a caesar salad, but you could also put out other types of greens, some of which I’ve listed below. Below you also find caesar salad dressing and crouton recipes.

Caesar salad can be topped in all sorts of other tasty ways and I’ve listed some of them here.

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Items for caesar salad bar

Below are items you can put in bowls and other serving vessels toÌýinclude in a caesar salad bar. Choose those that appeal the most and prepare them in advance so when your guests arrive you’ll be all set. I’ve noted suggested serving amounts, but increase them if you feel the crowd you are serving will have heartier appetites.

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• Salads greens, such as chopped or torn romaine, baby kale, baby spinach and/or arugula (allow about 2 cups of greens per person)

• Caesar salad dressings (see recipes below; allow about 2 Tbsp per person)

• Wedges or slices of lemon, for squeezing (allow a wedge or slice per person)

• Bacon bits or crispy cubes of fried pancetta (allow 1 Tbsp or soÌýper person)

• Croutons (see recipe below; allow about 1Ú3 to 1Ú2 cup per person)

• Salad shrimp (allow about 50Ìýgrams per person)

• Cubes or slices of cold rotisserie chicken or sliced grilled chicken (allow three to five slices per person)

• Halved cherry tomatoes (allow six halves per person)

• Capers (allow about 1 tsp per person)

• Quartered hard-boiled eggs (allow 1Ú2 to 1 egg per person)

• Slices of ripe avocado (allow three to four slices per person)

• Grilled, cooled asparagus (allowÌýthree to four spears per person)

• Chunk Parmesan cheese, for freshly grating on the salad

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Caesar Salad Dressing

This full-flavoured caesar dressing is a little thinner than most, which makes it great to drizzle onÌýa salad just before digging in.

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Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: None

Makes: About 12 (1Ú8 cup) servings

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1 cup mayonnaise

3 anchovies, minced, or 1 Tbsp anchovy paste

2 to 3 large garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 to 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to combine. Taste dressing and adjust seasoning, ifÌýneeded. Transfer dressing toÌýaÌýtight-sealing jar and refrigerate until needed. Dressing will keep at least a week.

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Water Buffalo Yogurt Caesar Salad DressingÌýÌý

McClintock’s Farm water buffalo yogurt is sold at many 91Ô­´´ Island supermarkets. It’s thick, rich and tangy and makes a greatÌýbase for this mayonnaise-free version of caesar salad dressing.

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Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: None

Makes: About 14 (1/8 cup) servings

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1 cup water buffalo yogurt, or thick Greek yogurt

2 to 3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp water

2 to 3 tsp Dijon mustard

3 anchovies, minced, or 3 tsp anchovy paste

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Tabasco

• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to combine. Taste dressing and adjust seasoning, ifÌýneeded. Transfer dressing to a tight-sealing jar and refrigerate until needed. Dressing will keep at least a week.

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Olive Bread Croutons withÌýPesto

Before roasting, the cubes of olive bread used to make these croutons are flavourfully tossed with pesto, olive oil and tangy Parmesan cheese.

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Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 22 minutes

Makes: about 11 (1/3 cup) servings

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4 1/2 cups olive bread or other sturdy Italian-style loaf, cut into small half inch cubes

2 Tbsp store-bought or homemade pesto

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (loosely-packed)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bread cubes, pesto, oil and Parmesan in a bowl and toss to combine.

Spread croutons on the baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Give croutons a stir and bake 10 minute more, or until croutons are crispy and rich looking.

Cool croutons to room temperature, place in jar or container and then seal and store at room temperature until needed. These croutons will keep at least aÌýweek.

Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear inÌýthe Life section Wednesday andÌýSunday.