Salad Has No Business Being THIS Good

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Steps

Blue Cheese Dressing & Bacon

1. 1
   Lay regular-sliced bacon neatly on a parchment-lined half sheet tray, overlapping slightly if needed to fit. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 18–25 minutes until deeply golden brown and very crispy.

   Tip: Avoid thick-cut bacon — thin slices render evenly and achieve maximum crispiness for the crouton-like bits.

   ~25 min
2. 2
   While bacon bakes, combine buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a medium bowl. Add garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Fold in fresh chopped chives and dill.

   Tip: Use garlic and onion powder rather than fresh for that nostalgic ranch-style umami that you can't replicate with fresh aromatics.

   ~5 min
3. 3
   Chop 35 g of firm, dry bleu cheese very finely. Fold into the dressing, keeping it slightly chunky — do not stir until fully smooth or the dressing will become too thick and gloppy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

   Tip: A firm, sweet bleu cheese makes a huge difference over pre-crumbled varieties, which tend to be bitter and harsh.

   ~3 min
4. 4
   When bacon is done, prop up the sheet tray at an angle so the bacon fat drains to one edge, preventing the bacon from sitting in its own grease as it cools.

   ~2 min

Wedge Salad Assembly

1. 1
   Remove any wilted outer leaves from the iceberg head. Trim about 1.5 inches off the core end. Quarter the head through the core. For each quarter, pull out the inner 3–4 layers to create a valley that will hold toppings and dressing.

   Tip: Trim the base of each wedge so it sits flat — a tilted wedge causes toppings to slide off.

   ~5 min
2. 2
   Place the iceberg quarters on a plate, cover with damp paper towels, and freeze for 10–15 minutes. Do not exceed 15 minutes.

   Tip: This doesn't freeze the lettuce — it creates internal tension that maximizes crunch and gets the lettuce ice cold, which is an essential textural detail.

   ~12 min
3. 3
   Finely dice the red onion (close to brunoise). Place in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove the raw sulfurous edge. Drain well.

   ~3 min
4. 4
   Slice beefsteak tomatoes thinly, then dice small (about 1/3 inch). Spread the dice on the cutting board and discard any excess tomato gel, seeds, and white pithy core pieces to prevent the salad from becoming watery.

   Tip: Removing seeds and gel significantly reduces sogginess — a small detail that elevates the whole dish.

   ~4 min
5. 5
   Pat the cooked bacon with paper towels to remove excess fat. Dice into small bits — the bacon will shatter as you cut, which is ideal. A variety of sizes from fine crumbles to small squares adds textural interest.

   ~3 min
6. 6
   To build each salad: place one chilled iceberg quarter in a bowl. Generously spoon dressing into the pocket and over the sides, using the back of the spoon to massage dressing into the layers. Add diced tomatoes, then about half as much onion as tomato, then a generous portion of bacon. Optionally add another drizzle of dressing to act as glue.

   Tip: Building in a bowl lets you be heavy with dressing and garnishes without flooding the plate — anything that falls off stays in the bowl.

   ~3 min
7. 7
   Add minced chives and picked dill on top. Crumble on bleu cheese (about 15–20 small pieces per wedge). Spoon a base of dressing onto the serving plate, place the loaded wedge on top, and finish with a final drizzle of dressing.

   Tip: The dressing base on the plate acts as glue to hold the wedge in place and ensures even more dressing coverage for the large undressed surface.

   ~2 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Brian Lagerstrom

Salad Has No Business Being THIS Good

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