Iceberg Wedge Salad: A Perfect Salad Side Dish

As the summer approaches, temperatures begin to rise, so we require lighter meals to stay fresh. A steak isn't the best thing if it's a hundred degrees outside. But a well-prepared iceberg wedge salad may be precisely what your body needs at the time. 

It's light, tasty, and doesn't require much time or cooking knowledge. So, why not learn how to make it before the weather warms up even further? In the meantime, this is a perfect salad side dish.

We're here to explain how to make this pork belly and stilton blue cheese combination the right way. So, check out this blog if you wish to know our tips and tricks to create the perfect salad.

Or, if you wish to enjoy a meal made by pros on a waterfront patio, visit Bayshore Club.

Wedge and Toppings

A wedge salad isn't like any other you make mixed in a bowl. Failing to realize that proportions are a crucial part of the preparations will lead to poor results. 

If you use a huge wedge of iceberg lettuce without chopping and slicing it properly like any other salad, you'll end up with something not edible. And, definitely, you won't get the tasty summery salad side dish we'll get.

So, before getting into the specifics, ensure you understand that this process will require a knife, and you'll have to prep your wedge to be the right size. Instead, you'll be munching on a lettuce head without much enjoyment.

Now, the other side. 

Most people read the first part and try to overcorrect by using large topping pieces. That won't be of any help.

The last thing these wedges need is large pieces of stilton blue cheese or tomatoes that haven't been diced correctly. Pouring too many ingredients on top won't work either. Balancing a mountain of toppings is the last thing you want when enjoying a salad wedge.

So, when you go into the preparations, ensure you've done each task precisely. The onions and tomatoes should be in smaller pieces, don't pour everything on one wedge, and remember to cut the salad into edible pieces.

How To Top a Wedge Salad

Topping a wedge requires some skill if you wish to do the job as a pro. 

Tomato

Like all produce, tomato is quite sensitive to change. This ingredient can make add flavor, freshness, and tenderness to your salad side dish. Or, quite easily, it can make your creation bland and too watery.

To avoid this disaster, you must salt the tomatoes after dicing and let them sit in a strainer. This will draw the water out, allow you to focus on the vegetable's flavor, and season it.

This neat trick won't add any extra time to the preparations but will provide you with a much tastier product at the end. 

Onion

Certain folks out there don't appreciate raw onion as one of the ingredients in their salad. It's because it can sometimes overpower the rest of the plate with its strong and aggressive flavor.

However, if you find a way to tame it, the onion can be a valuable addition to the mix. 

Our favorite way of doing that is by quickly pickling the onion. This softens the flavor significantly, allowing everyone to enjoy homemade salad wedges. On top of that, this process adds a tangy note to the onion. The vinegar also helps balance the flavor of stilton blue cheese and gives the onion a unique flavor making it attractive for decorations.

Don't forget that minced chives go on top too. So, some more mild raw green-onion flavor is added to the mix.

Once again, this process enhances the overall experience without complicating the preparations or adding more time to them. Put the onion in vinegar and let it do its thing while you work on something else.

Bread Crumbs

The toasted breadcrumbs are there to add crunch to each bite, and if you do everything correctly – that's precisely what you'll get from them. 

Our way of doing this starts by making extra small bread crumbs using a food processor. Then, we toast them in bacon fat until they reach a recognizable brown color accompanied by the crisp we're seeking.

This step adds more bacon flavor to the dish and gives every flavor the crunchiness we all enjoy. Pork belly fat is more powerful than you thought.

Ingredients

Before anything else, you need to have the right ingredients. All the knowledge in the world won't help if you aren't working with fresh, high-quality produce.

Ensure you have everything from this list before entering the instructions and preparation process.

• One head of iceberg lettuce 
• Two small tomatoes
• One small red onion
• 4 oz Bacon
• White wine vinegar 
• 2 oz Fresh bread crumbs
• Buttermilk blue cheese dressing
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Minced chives

Instructions

You're making an iceberg wedge salad. It doesn't sound complicated, and it shouldn't be. Just follow the steps, and your results will be as tasty as ours.

Step 1

You'll need a fine-mesh strainer to do this. Put it over a bowl and add diced tomatoes. Salt the tomatoes liberally and toss to coat.

Step 2

Place an onion in a small bowl. Pour enough white wine vinegar to coat the entire vegetable. Let both the tomatoes and the onion stand while you work on the remaining ingredients.

Step 3

You'll need to cook the bacon to make this salad. It's not all healthy and clean; this mix will have items to enjoy. 

Use a skillet to fry the pork belly over medium heat. Stir occasionally and give it about five minutes on the stove. Once the bacon has finished cooking, take it out of the oil using a slotted spoon. Transfer the pieces onto a paper towel and give them time to drain.

You'll have about two tablespoons of melted fat left in the skillet. To it, add bread crumbs and cook over medium heat. In about 3 to 4 minutes, the bread crumbs will start to brown. Then, you can transfer them to the paper towel for draining. Use salt and pepper to give them a bit of extra flavor.

Step 4

It's time to assemble the iceberg wedge salad. Arrange the wedges on a plate and start adding spoonfuls of dressing to each one. 

Drain the onions from step 1 and sprinkle across the wedges, followed by pieces of diced tomato. Proceed by adding bacon, toasted bread crumbs, and chives to each wedge. 

Once everything is assembled, you can serve the dish and enjoy it.

Visit Bayshore Club

Every meal is more satisfying when you get to have it while enjoying a waterfront view. To eat the best salad wedges on the coast of Florida, visit Bayshore Club.

Our restaurant will amaze you with its food, service, and of course, the view.