Wedge Salad

After my law school graduation, my family went to Harry & Izzy's for dinner.  It was fun to be with family and to celebrate the end of an era.  The food was fabulous too, of course. 

And my children both sat in their highchairs.  Through dinner.  For the first time in their lives. 

Predictably, the one time we have a private room is the one time they choose to behave in a restaurant.

It truly was a blessed evening.

And I had this salad.

It reminded me how much I love wedge salads. 

So I attempted to copy it the other night at home.  It ended up being pretty tasty.

At least my husband told me it was.

I'll tell you how I made it so you can pretend you're at Harry & Izzy's, too.

Take a head of iceberg lettuce and cut it into fourths.  You know, the kind that costs less than a dollar and has zero nutritional value.  Then cut out the core - it's easier to remove once you've quartered the lettuce.  Place each quarter on a salad plate, cut side up.  That way, the dressing will run all down through the lettuce where it's been cut open.  We want this because, as you remember, the dressing is the sole reason for eating salad.

Now top the wedge with blue cheese dressing.  It would be a crime to use any other type of dressing.  It would be awesome to make your own here, but I didn't.  Someday I will share my dad's recipe for blue cheese dressing because it is the best I've ever eaten.  Here's what I used since I didn't make my own:

It's in the refrigerated section and it's really very good.

Okay, since the dressing is simply not enough blue cheese, now we're ready for the blue cheese crumbles. 

Now slice some grape tomatoes in half and lay them on the plate on the sides of the lettuce wedge. 

Your salad will look about like this:

And here is a side view.  See the dressing getting between the lettuce leaves?  That's how it should be.

Lastly, coarse ground black pepper is critically important for a wedge salad.  Black pepper is the perfect heat to balance the crisp lettuce, the juicy, sweet tomatoes and the tangy, creamy blue cheese dressing.  Plus, the black pepper looks neat against the white dressing.  So don't leave it off.

Make this soon. 

Wedge Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, quartered and cored
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
4 oz. blue cheese crumbles
Blue cheese dressing
Coarse-ground black pepper

Place each lettuce quarter on a salad plate.  Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing.  Sprinkle the blue cheese crumbles over the top.  Lay the tomato halves on the plate around the wedge. Sprinkle black pepper on top to taste.

Makes 4 wedge salads.