Crisp Iceberg “wedge” Recipe

Prepare and bake bacon

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lay bacon strips in a single layer on the rack. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, black pepper and smoked paprika. Press a light layer of the brown sugar mixture onto each bacon slice so it adheres. Bake for 15–20 minutes, rotating the pan once, until edges are crisp and sugar is caramelized (watch closely to avoid burning). Remove from oven and let cool on the rack 5 minutes — bacon will firm up as it cools. Chop cooled candied bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. Reserve.

While bacon bakes, whisk together vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a heatproof jar or bowl until sugar dissolves. Add thinly sliced red onion, press down to submerge. Let sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours) to develop tang. Drain before using, reserving a tablespoon of pickling liquid if desired to thin dressing.

Combine halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chopped oregano (or basil), kosher salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss gently and let sit for at least 20 minutes at room temperature to release juices and absorb flavors. If preparing ahead, refrigerate up to 4 hours and bring to room temperature before serving.

Reduce cabernet: in a small saucepan bring 1/4 cup cabernet sauvignon to a simmer and reduce until you have about 2 tablespoons of syrupy liquid (about 6–8 minutes). Cool to room temperature. In a bowl whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in reduced cabernet and crumble in 1.5 oz blue cheese, gently mashing some of the crumbles to flavor the dressing. Taste and adjust salt/pepper; if too thick, thin with up to 1 tablespoon reserved pickling liquid or extra buttermilk.

Prepare iceberg: remove any loose outer leaves from each head, trim a small slice from the stem end to create a flat base, then cut each head into 2 wedge-shaped quarters (for 2 servings per head). Keep cores intact so wedges hold together. Chill briefly if desired.

Plate: place one or two wedges (depending on portion) on chilled plates. Spoon marinated tomatoes evenly over each wedge, followed by 1–2 tablespoons pickled onions distributed across the top.

Top: scatter chopped candied bacon pieces over the wedge, then sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese reserved for the salad. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of the cabernet buttermilk dressing over each wedge (or serve additional dressing on the side).

Finish: garnish with a pinch of coarse cracked black pepper and sliced chives. Serve immediately so the iceberg stays crisp and the candied bacon remains crisp.