Iceberg Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

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Serving size:6
Total Time:
Iceberg Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

  • 3 cup 1-inch-cubed crusty white bread
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 3/4 lb sliced bacon
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • salt
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp buttermilk
  • 11/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 lb blue cheese, preferably Maytag crumbled (3/4 cup)
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 celery rib, thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. On a baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and toast for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the bread is golden and crisp.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and crumble.
  3. In a small bowl, using the back of a spoon, mash the garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt. Whisk in the mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and season with salt and cayenne. Stir in the blue cheese.
  4. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce, onion, celery, bacon and croutons with the dressing and serve right away.

Make Ahead: The bacon and dressing can be refrigerated separately overnight. The croutons can be stored overnight in an airtight container.

Recipe Credit: Donald Link
Image Credit: Quentin Bacon