Smoked Chicken Caesar Wraps

Ingredients

• 1 large egg yolk
• 6 tinned anchovy fillets in oil, drained
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra to taste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 100ml light olive oil or rapeseed oil
• 30g parmesan, finely grated
• black pepper
• 400g leftover smoked chicken from BBQ-005 (or shop-bought smoked/roast chicken), shredded
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• black pepper
• 150g day-old sourdough, torn into 1cm pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, halved
• sea salt
• 4 large flour tortilla wraps (25cm)
• 2 heads baby gem lettuce, shredded
• 1 ripe tomato, deseeded and diced (optional but adds juice)
• 30g parmesan, shaved with a peeler

Method

1. Make the croutons first so they cool while you build. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the torn sourdough and toss to coat. Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning often, until deep golden and crisp on all sides — a pale crouton goes soggy the moment dressing hits it, so push the colour further than feels comfortable. Tip onto a plate, rub the cut garlic clove over the hot croutons (the heat releases the oil into them), season with salt and leave to cool.
2. For the dressing, finely chop the anchovies and garlic together on a board, then mash with the flat of your knife until you have a rough paste — this breaks down the anchovies so they melt into the dressing rather than turning up as salty surprises. Scrape into a bowl with the egg yolk, Dijon, lemon juice and Worcestershire and whisk to combine.
3. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking constantly — start with a few drops at a time until you see the mixture thicken and turn pale, then you can pour faster in a thin stream. If it splits or looks loose, whisk in a teaspoon of cold water to bring it back. Stir through the grated parmesan and a generous grind of black pepper. Taste — it should be punchy, salty, lemony and properly savoury. No salt needed; the anchovies and parmesan have it covered.
4. In a separate bowl, toss the shredded smoked chicken with the spring onions, lemon juice and a grind of pepper. The lemon wakes up day-old smoked meat that's been sitting in the fridge.
5. Warm the tortillas one at a time in a dry pan for 15 seconds a side, or 10 seconds in the microwave wrapped in a clean tea towel — a cold tortilla cracks when you roll it, a warm one folds like fabric.
6. Build each wrap on a square of greaseproof paper. Spread 2 tablespoons of dressing across the middle third of the tortilla, leaving a 4cm border at the bottom and sides. Layer on a quarter of the shredded gem, then the chicken, a scatter of tomato if using, the croutons and the shaved parmesan. Drizzle with a little more dressing.
7. Roll tight: fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold the two sides in, then roll away from you firmly, keeping tension as you go. A loose wrap leaks; a tight wrap holds together for hours. Wrap the greaseproof around it the same way and twist the ends.
8. Slice on a sharp diagonal through paper and all with a serrated knife — the diagonal cut shows off the layers and makes it easier to eat. Pack into a lunchbox cut-side up so the filling stays put.