The Wedge Salad has taken a bad rap over time for not using more “healthy greens”, but it does what it is intended to do and that is to please. Salty, savory, crunchy, refreshing, tart...it’s all in there. However, although the classic Wedge Salad is impressive to behold, if slicing through a quarter of a head of iceberg lettuce doesn’t appeal to you and your guests, try the Wedge Salad Redux. Your guests will get all the pleasure of the Wedge, but with half the work!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8-12 cherry tomatoes cut in half (up to you)

• 1 small shallot, peeled and diced, approximately 2 tablespoons

• 3 slices bacon

• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 4 ounces blue cheese, like Roquefort, crumbled

• 2-3 tablespoons of buttermilk

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce, to taste

• 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, the outer leaves removed, rinsed and dried, cored, and coarsely chopped.

• 12 very thinly sliced red onion slices

• 1 tablespoon finely minced chives to garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, and vinegar in a small bowl, and shower with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until crisp on both sides, then drain on a paper towel. Crumble when cool, and set aside.

3. Make the dressing. Put half the cheese into a medium-size bowl, and mash with a whisk. Add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, olive oil, hot sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce, then mash and whisk the dressing until it is mostly smooth. You may wish for a little more hot sauce, lemon juice or Worcestershire, to taste. Then whisk again, and set aside.*(Alternatively, if you have a mini-food-processor, throw all the ingredients in #3 above into the processor and process until you have a chunky dressing. Voila!)

4. Assemble the chopped iceberg evenly on four small plates; gently spoon dressing over each. (*Alternatively, you can put the chopped iceberg in a large bowl and toss it with the dressing before you plate it.)

5. Sprinkle each salad with crumbled bacon, the dressed tomato halves, onion slices, and some minced chives.

6. Freshly ground black pepper to individual taste.

Serve with crusty bread and no guilt. Your guests will thank you. Enjoy!