Wedge Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Remove any wilted outer leaves from the iceberg head. Slice the head lengthwise into 4 even wedges. Rinse each wedge briefly under cold water, pat dry thoroughly with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture (this helps dressing adhere). Chill in refrigerator while preparing other components, if desired.

Cook bacon

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the 4 bacon slices and cook, turning occasionally, until crisp (about 7–9 minutes). Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and cool. When cool, dice or crumble into small pieces. Reserve about 1 teaspoon of bacon fat if you’d like to use a little in the dressing (optional).

Prepare tomato and finish

Dice the roma tomato into small 1/4-inch pieces. If using chives, finely chop them. Season the lettuce wedges lightly with the 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, splitting evenly among the 4 wedges.

Assemble

Place each chilled wedge on a plate. Sprinkle an even portion of the crumbled bleu cheese (about 3/4 oz per wedge), diced tomato, and crumbled bacon over each wedge. Garnish with chopped chives if using.

In a small jar or bowl, combine 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk or shake to combine.

Slowly stream in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil while whisking constantly (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning—add a pinch more salt, a little more honey for sweetness, or a splash more vinegar for tang if desired.

If you reserved a teaspoon of bacon fat, whisk it into the dressing for a smoky note (optional). Drizzle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of dressing over each wedge just before serving. Serve any extra dressing on the side.