Trp Wedge Salad Recipe
baby iceberg, pickled onion, breadcrumb, tomato, blue cheese, bacon crumble
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Ingredients
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Salad greens & veg
Dressings & cheese
Bacon crumble
Breadcrumbs
Finishing & seasoning
Method
Salad greens & veg
- 1
Prepare lettuce
Trim any browned outer leaves from the baby iceberg heads. Cut each head into 4 wedges through the core so each wedge holds together. Keep cores intact so wedges hold shape; rinse quickly under cold water if needed and shake off excess water or pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
Slice tomatoes
Core and cut tomatoes into wedges or thick slices (6–8 pieces per tomato). Set aside. If tomatoes are very juicy, gently blot with a paper towel to avoid watering down the salad.
- 3
Pickled red onion (if using store-bought)
If using pre-made pickled onion, drain well and pat lightly to remove excess brine. Reserve about 1/4 cup to sprinkle over finished salad and the rest to layer as desired.
Dressings & cheese
- 4
Make blue cheese dressing
In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise (3 tbs), sour cream (2 tbs), buttermilk (4 tbs), lemon juice (1 tbs), Dijon mustard (1 tsp), minced garlic (1 tsp), salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp). Whisk until smooth. Crumble 2 oz of the blue cheese into the dressing and stir, leaving some small chunks for texture. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more buttermilk if you prefer a thinner consistency. Chill until ready to assemble.
- 5
Reserve crumbled cheese
Crumble the remaining 1 oz of blue cheese to sprinkle over the finished wedges for a stronger blue-cheese presence and visual contrast.
Bacon crumble
- 6
Cook bacon
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lay 6 slices of thick-cut bacon on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment in a single layer. If you want a hint of sweetness, sprinkle 1 tsp brown sugar evenly over the bacon. Bake for 12–18 minutes, until crisp to your preference. For extra even crisping, flip halfway through at about 9 minutes. Remove bacon and place on paper towels to drain and cool.
- 7
Crumble bacon
Once cool enough to handle, chop or crumble the bacon into small bite-sized pieces. Reserve in a bowl for assembly.
Breadcrumbs
- 8
Toast panko
In a small skillet over medium heat melt 1 tbs unsalted butter. Add 3 tbs panko breadcrumbs and 1 tsp garlic powder and 0.25 tsp salt. Stir continuously for 2–4 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl to avoid further browning.
Finishing & assembly
- 9
Arrange wedges
Place each iceberg wedge on a chilled plate. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil (about 1/2 tbs per wedge) and sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper over each wedge to season the lettuce lightly.
- 10
Top wedges
Spoon 2–3 tbs of blue cheese dressing over each wedge, letting some run down the sides. Place tomato wedges and a scattering of pickled red onion pieces around and on top of each wedge.
- 11
Add crunchy and savory toppings
Generously sprinkle the bacon crumble evenly over the wedges (about 1 slice-equivalent per wedge). Scatter the toasted panko breadcrumbs over the top for crunch. Finish with the reserved crumbled blue cheese (sprinkle evenly). Garnish with chopped chives if desired.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately so breadcrumbs remain crisp and lettuce stays cold. Provide extra dressing at the table.
