In an age of arugula and frisée, the 1960s Americana icon known as iceberg lettuce might seem behind the times. It's true that iceberg is virtually devoid of nutrients, and lacks the flavor and roughage of contemporary chicories. But coming to terms with the fact that iceberg isn't exactly an antioxidant is what's helped me to embrace it. I now love the leaves for their sheer juiciness and ice-cold crunch.
My favorite way to enjoy the 'berg? As a huge wedge, pulled straight from the crisper and topped with salty bacon bits, soft, powdery egg, and a generous drizzle of creamy, slightly tangy blue cheese dressing. Sure, it's a throwback to yesteryear, but the flavors still feel entirely new. Get the recipe after the break.
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup crumbly blue cheese, like gorgonzola
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 small shallot, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
2 hard-boiled eggs
Freshly-ground black pepper
Sea salt
Directions
- Puree mayonnaise and blue cheese with buttermilk, shallot, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Cut iceberg head into 4 wedges. Drizzle over each wedge.
- Press a peeled hard-boiled egg through a fine strainer; spoon over the salad. Top with crumbled bacon. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
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Miss Avant Premiere
Drykorn
Marc Jacobs
hello! delicious!!!!!!!!!!
1I will be making this recipe this weekend.
2Sounds great, but you might want to use 1/2 a cup of buttermilk instead of 12!
3haha yeah definitely 1/2 a cup!
Looks good... the idea in general. Quick too... no need to shred the lettuce.
4Nice catch! I have edited the recipe. Thanks!
5The bacon! Yum!
6Now you know that is my idea of the only kind of salad!!!!!!!!! Bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!When I grew up in the Dark Ages, there was only one lettuce in the produce section.........iceberg.
7I actually don't think it's true that iceberg is "devoid of nutrients."
http://www.saveur.com/article/Our-Favorite-Foods/The-Ice-Queen
8I'd have to run 3 miles after eating that. Yikes to creamy dressing.
9How would you eat that? Knife and fork? Pick it up and take a chunk out?
Anyhoo, no sorry not a blue cheese fan at all.
10Classic! I didn't eat any other type of lettuce until I was 20. I'll still visit my old friend iceberg every once in a while. Yummy recipe!
11ps - I like to add some minced bell pepper to my bleu cheese dressing recipe. It gives it a nice heat and texture.
12Interesting concept. I'm sure you could use other toppings and dressings. It's probably a bit weird to have to also use a knife, but it's probably kind of fun to do every once in a while.
13Discovered this at a fancy steakhouse a couple years back, and it might have changed my life.
I like dandelion greens and mesclun as much as the next guy but nothing works as a vehicle for bleu cheese and bacon bits like a bug hunk of iceberg.
Thanks for reminding me of this decadent classic!
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