Recipe for Power Up! Caesar Salad

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 6 gallons and 1 quart Caesar salad to make 50–8 ounce Caesar salads.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

• 6 pounds and 4 ounces frozen, fully-cooked, diced chicken (U.S. Department of Agriculture food item)
• 4 pounds and 8 ounces fresh untrimmed kale
• 5 pounds and 13 ounces ready-to-use chopped romaine lettuce
• 1 cup, set aside and 3 quarts and ½ cup, set aside commercial Caesar dressing, divided
• 2 pounds and 8 ounces–1 ounce packets, whole grain rich croutons
• 1½ cups grated parmesan cheese
  

Directions

1. Thaw frozen chicken one to two days in advance in refrigerator. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
2. Rinse kale under cool running water. Trim and cut leaves from stem. Discard stems and chop leaves into 2 inch pieces or ribbons to measure 2 gallons, 1 quart and ½ cup. Note: If kale is pre-trimmed, rinse only.
3. Place kale into mixing bowl. Add 1 cup Caesar dressing.
4. Massage kale to soften by mixing and working dressing into leaves. Kale should absorb dressing readily and will reduce volume by half.
5. Cover and refrigerate kale in dressing mixture overnight or 2 hours minimum. CCP: Hold kale coated with dressing mixture in refrigerator at 41°F below.

To Assemble Salad

6. Portion remaining dressing into 2 ounce individual servings, seal with lid. Refrigerate and set aside for assembly. CCP: Hold dressing in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
7. Place ¾ cup or 2 ounces chopped romaine into one–8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch or similar capacity individual hinged salad container.
8. Add ⅜ cup or one number 10 scoop massaged kale on top of romaine.
9. Top with ⅜ cup or one number 10 scoop diced chicken
10. Top with ½ cup or one number 8 scoop croutons
11. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons or one number 100 scoop parmesan cheese.
12. Add ¼ cup or 2 ounces individual dressing containers to each salad. Seal salad and date salad. CCP: Hold salad in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
13. Serve one–8 ounce individual salad with dressing for each serving. CCP: Serve salad at 41°F or below.

Nutritional Analysis

• Calories, in K calories: 355.00
• Carbohydrates, in grams: 19.70
• Protein, in grams: 25.00
• Saturated fat, in grams: 4.00
• Trans fat, in grams: 0
• Total fat, in grams: 18.00
• Sodium, in milligrams: 619.00
  

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 12 gallons, 1 quart, and 1 cup Caesar salad to make 100–8 ounce Caesar salads.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

• 12 pounds and 8 ounces frozen, fully-cooked, diced chicken (U.S. Department of Agriculture food item)
• 9 pounds fresh untrimmed kale
• 11 pounds and 10 ounces ready-to-use chopped romaine lettuce
• 2 cups, set aside and 1 gallon, 2 quarts and 1 cup, set aside commercial Caesar dressing, divided
• 5 pounds–1 ounce packets, whole grain rich croutons
• 3 cups grated parmesan cheese
  

Directions

1. Thaw frozen chicken one to two days in advance in the refrigerator. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
2. Rinse kale under cool running water. Trim and cut leaves from stem. Discard stems and chop leaves into 2 inch pieces or ribbons to measure 4 gallons, 2 quarts and 1¼ cup. Note: If kale is pre-trimmed, rinse only.
3. Place kale into mixing bowl. Add 2 cups Caesar dressing.
4. Massage kale to soften by mixing and working dressing into leaves. Kale should absorb dressing readily and will reduce volume by half.
5. Cover and refrigerate kale in dressing mixture overnight or 2 hours minimum. CCP: Hold kale coated with dressing mixture in refrigerator at 41°F below.

To Assemble Salad

6. Portion remaining dressing into 2 ounce individual servings, seal with lid. Refrigerate and set aside for assembly. CCP: Hold dressing in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
7. Place ¾ cup or 2 ounces chopped romaine into one–8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch or similar capacity individual hinged salad container.
8. Add ⅜ cup or one number 10 scoop massaged kale on top of romaine.
9. Top with ⅜ cup or one number 10 scoop diced chicken
10. Top with ½ cup or one number 8 scoop croutons
11. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons or one number 100 scoop parmesan cheese.
12. Add ¼ cup or 2 ounces individual dressing containers to each salad. Seal salad and date salad. CCP: Hold salad in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
13. Serve one–8 ounce individual salad with dressing for each serving. CCP: Serve salad at 41°F or below.

Nutritional Analysis

• Calories, in K calories: 355.00
• Carbohydrates, in grams: 19.70
• Protein, in grams: 25.00
• Saturated fat, in grams: 4.00
• Trans fat, in grams: 0
• Total fat, in grams: 18.00
• Sodium, in milligrams: 619.00
  

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

• Salad recipes

Serving Suggestion

• Yield 50 or yield 100–8 ounce Power Up Caesar Salads.
• Massaged kale may be prepared one day in advance.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

• 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
• 1 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
• ⅞ cup vegetable: ⅞ dark green vegetable

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

• Frozen, fully-cooked diced chicken

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

• California fresh
• Mediterranean

Preparation Time

• Preparation to serve time: 30 minutes for 50 servings and 50 minutes for 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

• CCP: Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
• CCP: Hold kale coated with dressing mixture in refrigerator at 41°F below.
• CCP: Hold dressing in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
• CCP: Hold salad in refrigerator at 41°F or below.
• CCP: Serve salad at 41°F or below.

Kid Rating

Culinary Center

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District