Classic Blue Cheese Wedge Salad (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Salad Ingredients
01 -
1 large head iceberg lettuce, outer leaves removed, washed, cut into 4 wedges
02 -
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
03 -
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
04 -
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze
05 -
Salt and pepper, to taste
06 -
4 slices bacon, cooked and diced
07 -
¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped
→ Blue Cheese Dressing
08 -
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
09 -
¼ cup buttermilk
10 -
¼ cup sour cream
11 -
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
12 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
13 -
1 teaspoon lemon juice
14 -
2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)
# Instructions:
01 -
Remove the outer leaves of the iceberg lettuce. Wash the head of lettuce thoroughly and pat dry. Chop the head in half, then cut each half into two equal pieces to make four wedges. Cut the core end of each wedge to remove the stem.
02 -
In a small bowl, combine the halved grape or cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, and 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar glaze. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
03 -
In a medium-sized bowl, add half of the crumbled blue cheese. Use a whisk to mash the cheese into smaller pieces. Add the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice. Continue to mash and whisk until the dressing is relatively smooth with some small chunks of blue cheese remaining. Stir in the chopped chives if using. Set aside.
04 -
Place one wedge of lettuce on each serving plate or arrange all four on a serving platter. Spoon the blue cheese dressing generously over each wedge, allowing it to drip down the sides. Top with the dressed tomato and onion mixture, distributing evenly among the wedges.
05 -
Sprinkle each wedge with diced bacon, chopped toasted pecans, and the remaining crumbled blue cheese. Drizzle the remaining balsamic vinegar glaze over the tops of the salads.
06 -
Serve immediately while the lettuce is still crisp and the bacon is fresh. Provide knives and forks for guests to cut into the wedges.
# Notes:
01 -
For best results, serve the wedge salad immediately after assembly as the lettuce can become soggy if it sits too long with dressing.
02 -
You can toast the pecans by placing them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant.
03 -
If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/4 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.