Wedge Salad

From Cook's Country

August/September 2012

Why this recipe works:

We use a quality blue cheese—English Stilton—to make the rich dressing the star of this salad. Mayo and sour cream add tang and creaminess, red wine vinegar brightens it up, and a splash of milk smoothes it out to the perfect consistency—all the better to coat a crunchy wedge of iceberg. Tests proved that raw onion overpowered even our robust dressing, but shallots soaked in vinegar (which we then used in the dressing) provided a mellower onion flavor.

Serves 6

The dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. This salad is best when the iceberg wedges are cold.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
1 large shallot, sliced into 1/8-inch-thick rings
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
4 ounces Stilton blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons milk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce (9 ounces), cored and cut into 6 wedges
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in 10-inch skillet until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Combine shallot and vinegar in bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
2. Using fork, remove shallot from vinegar; reserve shallot and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Whisk 3 ounces blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, reserved vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper together in bowl until combined.
3. Arrange lettuce wedges on platter and top with dressing, reserved shallot, and tomatoes. Crumble bacon over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce blue cheese. Serve.