The Head is Not Dead!
Cleo Coyle, Iceberg Convert, is author of The Coffeehouse Mysteries |
Under the heading Everything Old is New Again (especially in a New Year), I give you a classic "chop house" salad: a wedge of iceberg lettuce generously drizzled with a fresh, creamy blue cheese dressing.
"Wakey, wakey!"
CRUNCH keeps you up!
According to foodie research, cold foods that crunch in your mouth (like apples, carrots, and iceberg lettuce) keep the mind alert. So, on top of hydration, iceberg lettuce is an alarm clock for that sluggish winter brain.
Crunch with joy!
~ Cleo
Cleo Coyle’s Creamy
Italian Blue Cheese Dressing
To download this recipe in a free PDF that you can print, save, or share, click here.
Gorgonzola is my favorite blue for this recipe (it's Italian, after all), but you can use Roquefort, Stilton, Danish, or your favorite blue. Or we can ask our blog's cheese expert, Avery Aames, for advice on her favorite blue cheese. :)
As for the other ingredients, I find the scallions bring a fresh flavor to the dressing, and the lemon juice offers the kind of bright zip that usually comes from vinegar. As for the anchovy (another Italian heritage addition), have no fear. The single anchovy will not make the dressing taste fishy. Instead, it will enrich the dressing with a delicious note of umami. To learn more about umami, one of the basic notes of flavor beyond sweet, salty, bitter, and sour, click here.
Ingredients:
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Left thick, this dressing can be tossed with leafy greens or used as a delicious dipping sauce for raw veggies or hot chicken wings. Made thinner, you can pour it over a wedge of iceberg, and...
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 Tablespoon finely chopped scallions
6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon sour cream*
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon sour cream*
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 anchovy, mashed (optional but I always add it!)
*Note for thinner dressing, stir in about 1 tablespoon of milk or buttermilk or add a bit more sour cream.
Directions: In a large bowl mix the ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. You can leave the dressing thick or thin it out (as noted) by adding a bit more sour cream or about one tablespoon of whole milk or buttermilk (fresh buttermilk or light buttermilk is truly the best for flavor, IMO).
*Note for thinner dressing, stir in about 1 tablespoon of milk or buttermilk or add a bit more sour cream.
Directions: In a large bowl mix the ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. You can leave the dressing thick or thin it out (as noted) by adding a bit more sour cream or about one tablespoon of whole milk or buttermilk (fresh buttermilk or light buttermilk is truly the best for flavor, IMO).
Left thick, this dressing can be tossed with leafy greens or used as a delicious dipping sauce for raw veggies or hot chicken wings. Made thinner, you can pour it over a wedge of iceberg, and...
Eat with joy
in 2012!
in 2012!
~ Cleo Coyle, author of
The Coffeehouse Mysteries
The Coffeehouse Mysteries
To get more of my recipes,
enter to win free coffee, or
enter to win free coffee, or
learn about my books,
including my bestselling
Haunted Bookshop series,
visit my online coffeehouse:
including my bestselling
Haunted Bookshop series,
visit my online coffeehouse:
The Coffeehouse Mysteries are national bestselling
culinary mysteries set in a landmark Greenwich Village
coffeehouse, and each of the ten titles includes the
added bonus of recipes.
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure Book #1 of The Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, which Cleo writes under the name Alice Kimberly To learn more, click here. |
I didn't realize that about crunchy foods! Thanks for the tip. :) I grew up eating iceberg on a daily basis, but I haven't had it for ages...I'm going to have to rediscover it!
ReplyDeleteokay yum, I'm crazy about blue cheese dressing--even if it's on a wedge of iceberg:). Maybe add a few bacon bits too?
ReplyDeleteCleo, this might be my husband's favorite food of all time, and for all the reasons you stated. Great post. Love the recipe. Say cheese!
ReplyDelete~Avery
This salad was how I learned to love Blue cheese!!! There was a steakhouse in the small town I grew up in called "Larry Paul's (clever as the owners were ...Larry and Paul!!!) My dad went there every Thursday after he played golf and if we were very lucky he took us along. I was a Daddy's gilr for a few years so I always ordered what he did...Porterhouse rare with sherry mushroom sauce, onion chips and ...the "house special" Blue Cheese wedge!!!
ReplyDelete...and here I thought Les goofed when he picked up a head of iceberg at the market yesterday! Nope...tonight in lieu of the porterhouse (have you checked those prices lately!!) we are having grilled burgers and house special salad!!!
Happy New Year, Cleo and all the MLK gang!
nanc
We recently "rediscovered" how great iceberg is for certain salads--specifically with blue cheese dressing. Especially good with bacon crumbles. Sometimes old is best!
ReplyDeleteOnly this blog could make me salivate while considering a crunchy wedge of plain old boring iceberg lettuce with Gorgonzola dressing. Suddenly my taste buds are excited again! I recently discovered what you mean about anchovies - there is magic in a single anchovy. I'm looking forward to conjuring a little of it.
ReplyDeleteReply to...
ReplyDelete@Elizabeth/Riley - Yes! The crunching trick is a good alternative to caffeine, lol.
~ Cleo
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Reply to...
ReplyDelete@Lucy - Oh, absolutely, bacon bits would be an excellent topping for this salad. Thanks for dropping by today and continued congrats to you on the launch of your new series. Woot!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Reply to...
ReplyDelete@Avery - I was thinking of you as I put this post together. Saying cheese for sure! And you have a new book coming out in just one more month, too. Cheers and Happy New Year!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Reply to...
ReplyDelete@Nanc - Sweet thanks for sharing such a wonderful memory with all of us. I can just see your dad finishing off his blue cheese drenched wedge and sharpening his knife to dig into his thick, juicy porterhouse. Now that's eating with joy! (And, yes, now that the holidays are over, we've moved on to burgers, too!)
Warmest wishes to you and your family for a bright shining New Year!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Reply to...
ReplyDelete@Peg - Well said! Many times the old way is the best way. Thanks for dropping by today and a warm welcome to you. We're all looking forward to your upcoming posts.
Happy New Year!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
@Laine (of Laineshots) - "There is magic in a single anchovy..." Beautifully put. Couldn't agree more. A little scary on its own but mix that little salty fish with complementary ingredients and you've got a symphony of flavor (so to speak :)).
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by today, Laine. It's always a pleasure to see you in our Kitchen!
Happy New Year!
~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
Cleo Coyle on Twitter
Isn't it funny that we so willingly dropped iceberg lettuce when we were told to eat other types? I love iceberg, too. Nothing else has that crunch!
ReplyDelete~ Krista
Late to the party but I was busy the past few days cleaning house, taking down Xmas and doing laundry.
ReplyDeleteFunny, dh & I were just a few minutes ago (while watching a cooking show) discussing the high price of different types of lettuce, and that we should grow our own again, esp. if he gets a greenhouse built. We both agreed that nothing still beats the crunch of iceberg in a good chopped salad and we can't do without it in regular TexMex tacos!
Love any kind of blue cheese, yum! Thanks, Cleo!
Happy New Year, All!
And welcome Lucy and Peg! I look forward to enjoying your posts!