Wedge Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove any bruised outer leaves from the iceberg head. Rinse whole head under cold water, pat dry thoroughly with towels. Using a large chef's knife, quarter the head through the core to create 4 even wedges. Trim a small slice from the bottom of each wedge so it sits flat on a plate, leaving the core intact to hold layers together.

Cook bacon

Lay bacon slices in a cold skillet, then turn heat to medium. Cook until evenly browned and crisp, about 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool, then crumble or chop into small pieces.

Prep vegetables and season

Halve cherry tomatoes. Slice red onion very thinly into half-moons. Sprinkle each wedge with a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of sea salt and a light grind of black pepper on both sides; this helps bring out moisture and flavor.

Assemble

Place one wedge on each serving plate. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of blue cheese dressing over the top and slightly down the sides of each wedge. Scatter crumbled bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, thin red onion slices, and ¾ of the blue cheese crumbles evenly over the wedges. Finish with a small pinch of chives and extra cracked black pepper to taste. Reserve remaining dressing and blue cheese for guests to add more if desired.

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk. Whisk until smooth and slightly loose. Add crumbled blue cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Gently fold to distribute blue cheese—leave some larger chunks for texture. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a teaspoon more lemon juice if desired. If dressing is too thick, whisk in additional buttermilk 1 teaspoon at a time to reach desired drizzling consistency.

Chill dressing for at least 10 minutes to let flavors meld. If made ahead, store covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. Stir or whisk briefly before using.