Iceberg lettuce wedges with blue cheese dressing

publication date: Jun 12, 2008

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author/source: Fiona Beckett

Not the most slimming salad in the world, admittedly, but very tasty. Don’t be tempted to whizz up the dressing in a blender - the blue cheese will make it go a sickly blueish-green!

Serves 4 as a starter or side
Time: About 10 minutes preparation time and 15-30 minutes resting time
Cost: £1 - £1.25 a head

1 small to medium iceberg lettuce
For the dressing
2 tbsp white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
100ml sunflower or grapeseed oil
2 tbsp double or whipping cream
50g Danish Blue cheese
2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced (optional)
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice to taste

Remove any soft or damaged outer leaves from the lettuce, cut off the base then cut the lettuce into four wedges and soak them in ice cold water.  With a fork whisk the vinegar with a little salt and pepper then gradually whisk in the oil. Finally add the cream. Mash the blue cheese roughly and add to the dressing together with the spring onions. Set aside for 15-30 minutes to let the flavours amalgamate. Drain and shake the lettuce wedges well, keeping the quarters intact and pat dry with kitchen towel or a clean tea towel. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if you think it needs it and a little squeeze of lemon juice if you have some. Put a lettuce wedge on each plate and spoon over the dressing.

TOP TIPS

* You could use the same dressing with halved Little Gem lettuces or with a pack of iceberg lettuce leaves. It also works well with a spinach and raw mushroom salad

* You could add some fried up crispy bacon to make the dish more substantial (but obviously no longer vegetarian . . .)