Chopped Wedge Salad isn't just as simple as slicing and dicing in advance. Start with super fresh lettuce and tomato. Make a vinaigrette with your bacon fat. Swap heavy blue cheese dressing for tangy crumbles. Add homemade croutons for extra good measure.
2medium ripe tomatoesany variety, seeded and finely diced to ½”
½teaspoonkosher salt
4ozbacondiced into 1” diced sized pieces
1small shallotfinely minced to ¼”
3tablespoonred wine vinegar
1tablespoonhoney
2teaspoonwhole grain mustard
1head iceberg lettucechopped
2cupscroutonshomemade preferable (see notes for our favorite recipe)
2ozgood quality buttermilk blue cheesecrumbled, about ¼ cup
2tablespoonchopped fresh chives
Ground pepperto taste
Instructions
Place the tomatoes into a fine mesh strainer and nest into a bowl. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
Place the bacon into a 10” skillet, then heat over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the bacon is golden brown and crisp, 7-8 minutes. Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and set onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Drain all but three tablespoons of bacon fat from the skillet. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the burner, then pour in 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Shake the pan until the vinegar stops bubbling. Pour in the remaining vinegar, honey, and whole grain mustard and whisk until well combined. Transfer to a small pitcher or spouted measuring cup.
Place the chopped iceberg lettuce into a large salad bowl. Gently stir the tomatoes to remove any water that has accumulated (they will weep about 2 tablespoons of liquid), then shake gently. Sprinkle the tomatoes over the lettuce, then the cooked bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and chopped chives. Give the bacon vinaigrette another whisk, then drizzle over the salad.
Divide the salad between four plates. Top each with half a cup of croutons, then season with ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately.