It’s amazing how much effort it takes to get together one blog post these days. With every passing month, my baby boy requires more and more attention, and everything else gets pushed farther down the list. When he was an itty bitty baby, I was beyond productive each day. All that sleep he was getting! He has always slept beautifully at night too, so I’ve never had to get in daytime naps while he was sleeping. Besides, who has time for sleep with all that laundry that comes with children?!
Luckily blogging has still been worked into the mix (although not with the frequency it did before) because we still have to eat! And whether I was blogging or not, I’d still make the same type of foods. It’s not like I’d start heating up TV dinners or buying (gasp!) boxed cake mix if I didn’t have this website. Though many of my meals have become more simplified these days, I still enjoy more elaborate recipes now and then!
This is a slight variation of the classic wedge salad. There’s really no need to grill the iceberg, but it does give the salad an interesting flavor element. Give it a try! Just make sure you leave the core in, otherwise the lettuce will fall apart on the grill. And there’s nothing better than homemade blue cheese dressing!
Grilled Wedge Salad, adapted from Fine Cooking, 4 servings
- 6 oz. slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (lardons)*
- 3 oz. good-quality blue cheese
- 1/2 cup buttermilk; more as needed
- 3 Tbs. sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
- 1 head iceberg lettuce (about 1-1/2 lb.), trimmed of tough or discolored outer leaves, quartered or cut into sixths through the core, with the core intact
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill fire for direct grilling over medium heat (350°F).
Cook bacon over medium heat until the bacon starts to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is golden outside and tender inside. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mash the blue cheese with a fork. Add the buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt, and lemon juice and whisk to combine. Season with 1 tsp. salt and several grinds of pepper. Stir in the chives.
Put the iceberg on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, toss gently to coat evenly, and season with salt. Place the iceberg on the grill cut side down and grill until nicely marked, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn and mark on the other cut sides, about 2 minutes more.
Transfer the grilled iceberg to a platter or individual plates. Spoon a generous amount of the dressing on top, then scatter with the bacon and tomato. Serve immediately, passing any remaining dressing at the table.
*Alternatively you could use 6 slices of thick cut bacon.
