Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Name: Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Prep time: 23 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 slices (8 oz) (225 g) thick-cut bacon, left in whole slices; 1 large head (about 1½ lb) (680 g) iceberg lettuce, cold, outer leaves removed, rinsed and dried; 8 oz (about 1½ cups) (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; ¼ small onion (40 g) red onion, very thinly sliced into half-moons; ½ cup (2 oz) (60 g) blue cheese, coarsely crumbled, cold; 3 tbsp (10 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced (2 tbsp for the dressing, 1 tbsp for garnish); ½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, ¼ tsp for the dressing, ¼ tsp for finishing; ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, cold, well shaken; ⅓ cup (80 g) mayonnaise; ⅓ cup (80 g) sour cream; ½ cup (2 oz) (60 g) blue cheese, crumbled, cold; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 1 small clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated; kosher salt, to taste, about ¼ teaspoon (blue cheese is salty, so add it last)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp, ice-cold iceberg wedges under a thick, tangy buttermilk blue cheese dressing, finished with oven-crisped bacon, juicy cherry tomatoes, sharp red onion and chives. It's a steakhouse classic that's easy to make at home.

Prep: 23 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 13 min
Makes: 4 wedge salads (about 1¼ cups / 300 ml dressing)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the salad
8 slices (8 oz) (225 g) thick-cut bacon, left in whole slices
1 large head (about 1½ lb) (680 g) iceberg lettuce, cold, outer leaves removed, rinsed and dried
8 oz (about 1½ cups) (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ small onion (40 g) red onion, very thinly sliced into half-moons
½ cup (2 oz) (60 g) blue cheese, coarsely crumbled, cold
3 tbsp (10 g) fresh chives, thinly sliced (2 tbsp for the dressing, 1 tbsp for garnish)
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, ¼ tsp for the dressing, ¼ tsp for finishing
For the dressing
½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, cold, well shaken
⅓ cup (80 g) mayonnaise
⅓ cup (80 g) sour cream
½ cup (2 oz) (60 g) blue cheese, crumbled, cold
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 small clove (3 g) garlic, finely grated
kosher salt, to taste, about ¼ teaspoon (blue cheese is salty, so add it last)

Equipment (8)

Rimmed baking sheet, 13×18-inch (33×46 cm), with a wire rack that fits inside
Large sharp chef's knife
Medium mixing bowl
Whisk and silicone spatula
Microplane or fine grater
Paper towels
Small bowl for soaking the onion
4 dinner plates, chilled if possible

Steps

Before you start

Chill the iceberg head in the fridge until you're ready to cut it. Cold lettuce is crisper.
The dressing needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge to thicken and develop flavor. Make it while the bacon bakes and the onion soaks, since those steps overlap.
Use a block of blue cheese you crumble yourself if you can. It is creamier and tastes better than pre-crumbled cheese, which is often coated in anti-caking starch.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top for the bacon.

1
Bake the baconOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position an oven rack in the middle and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Set a wire rack in a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and lay the 8 bacon slices on the rack in a single layer without overlapping.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown, with the fat bubbling and the edges crisp. It will firm up more as it cools.
Tip: Start checking at 16 minutes. Thick-cut bacon goes from crisp to burnt quickly at the end.
2
Soak the onion
- Put the thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl and cover it with cold water.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes, then drain well and pat dry with a paper towel.
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Ready when: The slices look slightly crisp and the onion smell is noticeably milder.
3
Mix the dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated garlic, 2 tbsp of the chives and ¼ tsp of the pepper until smooth.
- Add ½ cup (60 g) of the blue cheese and press it against the side of the bowl with a fork so it breaks down into a creamy base with some small chunks left.
- Taste, then add salt a pinch at a time.
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Ready when: The dressing is thick and creamy, coats the back of a spoon and has visible flecks of blue cheese.
Tip: Add salt last. Blue cheese and Worcestershire both add a lot of salt.
4
Chill the dressing
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
- The dressing thickens and the flavors blend as it chills.
- Stir before using.
- If it is too thick to drizzle, whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons of buttermilk.
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Ready when: Thick enough to spoon over the lettuce in a ribbon that holds its shape for a moment.
5
Cool and chop bacon
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let it cool for about 5 minutes so it crisps fully.
- Chop it into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
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Ready when: The bacon snaps when bent and the fat has stopped glistening.
6
Cut the wedges
- Cut the cold iceberg head in half through the core, then cut each half in half again to make 4 wedges.
- Leave the core attached so the leaves stay together, and trim only the very bottom of the stem so each wedge sits flat.
- Pat the cut surfaces dry with paper towels.
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Ready when: Each wedge is about the same size and holds together with a flat base.
Tip: Wet lettuce makes the dressing slide off. Dry the wedges thoroughly.
7
Plate and dress
- Set one wedge on each plate.
- Spoon about ¼ cup (60 ml) of dressing over each wedge, letting it run down between the leaves.
- Pour on the remaining dressing at the table if you like.
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Ready when: The dressing coats the top and drips between the outer leaves.
Tip: Dress the wedges right before serving. The lettuce starts to wilt after about 10 minutes.
8
Top and serve
- Scatter the bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, drained onion and the remaining ½ cup (60 g) blue cheese crumbles over the wedges.
- Finish with the remaining 1 tbsp chives and ¼ tsp black pepper.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Toppings are evenly spread, with some falling onto the plate.

Good to know

Tips

Chilled lettuce is the most important part. Cold, dry iceberg stays crunchy under the dressing.
Mash only half the blue cheese into the dressing and use the other half as a topping. That way you get smooth dressing and big pieces of cheese.
Baking the bacon on a rack keeps it flat and evenly crisp. It also makes cleanup easier than frying.
Taste the dressing on a piece of lettuce, not off the spoon. The lettuce shows you whether it needs more lemon or salt.

Make ahead

The dressing keeps for up to 3 days in the fridge. Bacon can be baked up to 1 day ahead and kept in the fridge. Re-crisp it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Cut the wedges and slice the onion and tomatoes no more than a few hours ahead.

Storage & reheating

Assembled salads do not store well, so serve them right away. Keep leftover dressing in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 3 days and stir before using. Store cooked bacon in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze the dressing or the lettuce.

Substitutions

buttermilk → 1/2 cup whole milk plus 1½ tsp lemon juice, left for 5 minutes. This gives a similar tang, but the dressing will be a little thinner.
sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Use the same amount. The dressing will be a little tangier.
blue cheese → Gorgonzola dolce or Roquefort. Gorgonzola is milder and creamier. Roquefort is sharper and saltier, so use less salt.
thick-cut bacon → turkey bacon or toasted chopped pecans. Pecans make the salad vegetarian. Toast them for 5 minutes at 350°F (175°C).