The Imperial Iceberg Wedge with Roquefort and Slab Bacon
Chapter 1: Starters & Salads
This isn't a cleansing pile of spring greens meant to apologize for the ribeye that follows; there is absolutely nothing delicate about a proper steakhouse wedge, nor should there be. It is a structural marvel of fat, acid, and shockingly cold crunch built on the pale root of the iceberg, demanding the heaviest head you can find, quarter-inch lardons of intensely smoky slab bacon rendered slowly in cast iron, and real, pungent French Roquefort to cut right through the buttermilk. Build it on a frozen ceramic plate, and eat it with a serrated steak knife.
Before you start
Quick-pickle the red onions to tame their bite.
Place the minced red onion in a small bowl, cover entirely with the red wine vinegar, and let sit for at least 15 minutes before draining well.
Cure the tomatoes to concentrate their flavor.
Toss the quartered cherry tomatoes with the kosher salt in a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Let them drain for 15 minutes to extract excess water, ensuring your dressing won't dilute on the plate.
Ingredients
- crisphead iceberg lettuce1 large
- applewood smoked slab bacon12 oz
- cherry tomatoes1 1/2 cup
- red onion1/2 small
- red wine vinegar1/4 cup
- fresh chives1 bunch
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Roquefort cheese6 oz
- full-fat mayonnaise1/2 cup
- full-fat sour cream1/2 cup
- cultured whole buttermilk1/2 cup
- lemon juice1 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- garlic1 med clove
- hot sauce1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Render the slab bacon lardons.
Place the bacon batons in a cold, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, then turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes until the fat has deeply rendered and the meat is golden and crispy, yet still slightly chewy in the center. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- 02
Build the Roquefort emulsion.
In a mixing bowl, crumble four ounces of the Roquefort and mash it into a rough paste with a fork. Vigorously whisk in the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic paste, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Gradually stream in the buttermilk until it reaches a pourable consistency that can thickly coat a spoon. Season with black pepper and refrigerate immediately.
- 03
Quarter the iceberg lettuce.
Rap the core-side of the lettuce firmly against the cutting board once to loosen it, but leave the core intact for structural support. Cut the head in half pole-to-pole, then halve again to create four equal, massive wedges. Return to the refrigerator if they've warmed up.
- 04
Assemble the wedges.
Place a chilled wedge on each plate. Generously drape the cold Roquefort dressing over the apex, allowing it to cascade down the sides. Distribute the cured tomatoes and pickled onions evenly.
- 05
Garnish and serve immediately.
Scatter the warm bacon lardons and crumble the remaining two ounces of raw Roquefort over the salads. Finish with a heavy snowfall of minced chives and coarse black pepper, serving immediately alongside a steak knife.
Notes
The rhythm of the meal.
This salad should never be served alone. It demands the accompaniment of a bone-dry Gin Martini—three parts London Dry, one part dry vermouth, stirred for exactly 45 seconds, and garnished with an odd number of olives—to ready the palate for the porterhouse.