Our friend calls this Cowboy Salad, which is loosely a variation of the one seen in Smitten Kitten, but cowboys invented the iceberg stack salad, so do with it what you like. You can skip the homemade buttermilk dressing and just use bottled ranch if you are in a hurry. You can also do it on Romaine wedges, but then it’s no longer really a cowboy salad is it?
Iceberg Stack with Blue Cheese
Serves 4 to 5
Dressing
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad
4 ounces pancetta in 1/4-inch dice or bacon in slices
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4 inch dice (about 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup radishes in 1/4 inch dice (optional) or sunflower seeds or tomatoes
1-pound head of iceberg lettuce, trimmed & cored, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
1/2 cup firm blue cheese, crumbled (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
Brown the pancetta or bacon in a frying pan until it is crisp. Drain on paper towels, and let cool. If you are using bacon, chop or crumble into small bits. Toss the celery and radishes or other toppings together in a small dish.
Place the largest slice of iceberg carefully on a platter. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of dressing, then sprinkle with a little of the radish-celery mixture, a little bacon, a little blue cheese, then chives. Place the next largest slice of lettuce on top and repeat, adding dressing, radishes and celery, bacon, blue cheese and chives. Repeat with the remaining slices, stacking and staggering decoratively. If any ingredients remain, sprinkle them over the top.
Or try this old school classic Blue Cheese Salad Dressing:
