I love getting a big dose of greens in the morning. I’ve given recipes for both a traditional dressing and a vegan version. You’ll need to marinate the tempeh so it’s a good idea to start this recipe the night before.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
500 grams brussels sprouts, thinly shaved with a mandolin or very thinly sliced
6 kale leaves, stems removed, very thinly sliced
6 free-range eggs
1 cup finely grated parmesan, to sprinkle
sea salt and ground pepper
Tempeh bacon
¼ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons tamari
¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional but recommended)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cumin
250 grams tempeh
Croutons
3 thick slices rye sourdough bread, torn into chunks
oil, to drizzle
Caesar dressing
5 anchovies, I used Ortiz
1 clove garlic
juice 1 lemon
½ cup good-quality mayonnaise
½ cup finely grated parmesan
ground pepper
Vegan caesar dressing
½ cup good-quality
vegan mayonnaise
½ teaspoon grain mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely diced
juice ½ lemon
METHOD
Tempeh bacon: Whisk together the olive oil, tamari, paprika, liquid smoke, sugar and cumin. Cut the tempeh lengthways into strips that are roughly ½ cm thick. Place in a shallow dish and drizzle over the marinade. Refrigerate for 4–24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line an ovenproof dish with baking paper and lay out the tempeh slices. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. They can be used warm or stored in the fridge and used cold.
Croutons: Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Drizzle the bread with oil and season generously. Bake for 25 minutes. Can be made up to 4 hours in advance. If storing, allow to cool completely before placing in an airtight container.
Caesar dressing: Combine the anchovies and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Pound until a smooth paste forms. Add the remaining ingredients and season with pepper to taste.
Vegan caesar dressing: Combine ingredients and season.
To assemble: Combine the brussels sprouts and kale with the dressing of your choice and mix well. It’s ideal to let the dressing soften the salad for 10 minutes.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Carefully drop in the eggs. Cook for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, run under cold water and peel carefully. Cut in half.
Divide the salad between 4 plates. Top with the eggs, tempeh bacon, croutons and parmesan. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

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