Memorial Day Weekend is a week away and I’m hoping New York will see some consistent warm and dry weather. I don’t have anything planned for the weekend, I’m, just going to take it easy, but if you plan on getting some folks together, here’s an easy peasy salad recipe – Lettuce Wedge Salad. This recipe is slight a departure from the traditional. I’m a crunch fanatic, so if you are too you’ll love this salad.
The recipe is a combination of iceberg lettuce, drizzled with a Cambozola-based dressing topped with bacon, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and chives. It’s super crunchy and wickedly tasty. If you have vegetarian guests you can nix the bacon, although I prefer Lettuce Wedge Salad with tasty bites of smoky bacon.
Lettuce Wedge Salad is a great addition to a casual gathering, perfect for Memorial Day celebrations. When serving Lettuce Wedge Salad to a group I prefer to serve smaller wedges, an 1/8 of a lettuce rather than a 1/4. It’s much easier to serve and reduces the likelihood of waste.
If you’re grilling during the summer, this is a fantastic accompaniment, but it can also serve as an appetizer. If you’re serving wine (of course you are) Lettuce Wedge Salad will stand up to practically any grape – red, white, rose, sparkling, it’s great with Sangria too.
As I mentioned, the dressing is made using Cambozola. Surprisingly, Cambozola is a German triple-cream brie, made from a combination of Camembert and Gorgonzola. It’s rich, creamy and mild and when combined with mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice and a touch of black pepper, you end up with a delightful dressing truly perfect drizzled over a Lettuce Wedge Salad.
I’m hoping you’ll try this recipe soon, as it is likely to be one of those that you rely on during the warm months. If you do give this recipe a try, feel free to leave a comment.
Lettuce Wedge Salad
Ingredients
Cambozola Dressing
- 6 oz Cambozola cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Lettuce Wedge Salad
- 10 slices smoked bacon
- 1 whole lettuce
- 4 tbsp pine nuts
- 5 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- 4 tbsp chives chopped
Equipment & Utensils
- Skillet
- Chopping board
- Sharp chefs knife
- 1 or 2 serving platters
- Small bowl for dressing and small serving spoons
Instructions
Cambozola Dressing
- Crumble Cambozola into a bowl.
- Add the balance of ingredients then whisk until completely combined and then cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge.
Lettuce Wedge Salad
- Heat skillet then add bacon and cook until crispy. You will likely have to cook the bacon in two batches.
- Drain cooked bacon on paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Core lettuce and remove bruised lettuce leaves.
- With a sharp chefs knife cut lettuce into quarters then carefully cut each quarter once more.
- Arrange lettuce wedges on your serving platters.
- Drizzle 2/3 of the dressing over the lettuce. Drizzle in a uniform pattern for eye appeal.
- Crumble bacon with your hands into small pieces, then sprinkle over lettuce.
- Sprinkle pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and chives over the wedges one at a time.
- Pour the rest of the dressing into 1 or 2 bowls and place them in the middle of the platter with a couple of spoons.
- Serve immediately.
