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Romaine Wedge Salad with BelGioioso CreamyGorg Dressing and Garlic-Parmesan Toasts

Ann Baker
How odd, yet not unlike me, to vividly remember my first experience with a wedge salad. It was 2003, our first time ever in Walt Disney World, a late night dinner after a very long day of travel. My children were running on excitement overload. I just wanted a decent meal. I promptly ordered the first item on the menu: an iceberg lettuce wedge salad with blue cheese dressing. I wasn’t sure how much a wedge of lettuce would thrill me but let me just say that salad... THAT SALAD! Cold and crunchy, draped in a rich creamy dressing. Forget about getting the Little Mermaid’s autograph, I had already found my magic at Disney World. When BelGioioso asked me to create a special holiday salad using one or two of their cheeses, I knew a creamy gorgonzola dressing would take center stage. And what better way to showcase this dressing than serve it over a wedge of cold, crisp romaine lettuce. The dressing I created features their CreamyGorg, which is a multi award winning creamy, gorgonzola cheese. Its richness provides the perfect counterpart to the chilled romaine lettuce, bright tomatoes and salty pancetta. An Italian twist on the iceberg wedge salad I first enjoyed years ago. I also love a little toasty bread with my salads, but croutons don’t really work with the wedge concept. Instead, I decided on little garlic toasts featuring BelGioioso’s American Grana. Seriously, I nearly devoured the entire batch before I could get a photo. This salad is perfect for holiday entertaining. The presentation is unique and has that “wow” factor. All the elements of the salad can be made well in advance. Just assemble and serve on chilled plates. Also, consider making a double batch of the dressing and serving it with fresh vegetables as an appetizer. Like Disney World for the first time, it’s pure magic.
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Ingredients
  

DRESSING

  • ½ cup BelGioiso CreamyGorg rind removed
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • ⅓ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • Coarsely ground black pepper

SALAD

  • 2 medium heads of romaine lettuce
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
  • ½ small red onion thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces diced pancetta
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

GARLIC TOASTS

  • 1 demi baguette or ½ of a regular sized loaf
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • ¼ cup grated BelGioioso American Grana
  • 1 small clove of garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • Kosher salt
  • Coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions
 

FOR DRESSING

  • Place ⅓ cup of the CreamyGorg cheese in a medium bowl (reserve remaining cheese to sprinkle on salad). Mash with a fork until creamy. Add remaining ingredients. Using a wire whisk, blend ingredients until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. For best results, let dressing chill overnight.
  • Brown pancetta in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to cool.

FOR SALAD

  • Trim the leafy ends and stem off each head of lettuce. Remove any tough outer leaves and cut each head in half, lengthwise. Rinse under cool water and thoroughly dry. Wrap in paper towels and place in gallon, zipper bags, squeezing out excess air. Refrigerate for an hour or two until well chilled (lettuce will also stay fresh if stored like this for several days).

FOR TOASTS

  • Heat oven to 425°F. Slice baguette on the diagonal into long, thin slices. Combine butter, American Grana, garlic, and parsley in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread butter mixture onto each slice of bread. Place, butter-side-up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake until just golden, about 5 - 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  • To assemble salad, lay romaine hearts on a chilled serving platter or individual salad plates. Top with tomatoes and onions. Pour dressing over, then top with crumbled pancetta, the remainder of the CreamyGorg (crumbled), and the chopped chives. Serve with garlic toasts on the side.

Notes

Adapted from Dinner Is Served