Order Envy, one of great perils of eating out. Did I order the right thing or is my friend’s Chicken Piccata going to come out of the kitchen and be like diamonds on a plate compared to my lump of halibut and peas?
There’s are a few solid tricks I’ve acquired over the years to steer clear of Order Envy. Horse-blinders help prevent gawking at other plates around the table. Staying home and making lentils and grits (totally what I did tonight) prevents Order Envy because there is there is no order, there are only lentils. Lastly, the best way to avoid Order Envy is to just to order the Wedge Salad. It’s always the right move because there’s bacon and cheese… the vegetables are nice too. It’s balance and indulgence on a plate, and you win… if there is winning to be had.
Here’s what we’ll need!
A big head of iceburg lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, tiny red onion cubes, crisp cooked bacon chopped up happily, and blue cheese to make homemade dressing!
Yogurt, buttermilk, and mayonnaise for the dressing. It’s a lovely base place.
I added a diced red onion, garlic powder, loads of black pepper, and a pinch of sugar to my blue cheese dressing. Balance with sweet, tart, and sour.
And really giant chunks of blue cheese because that’s the whole point of this.
Chopping to assembly.
Iceberg is cut into large wedges. Crisp and cold before topping.
Creamy blue cheese dressing, crisp vegetable bites, salty bacon, rip avocado…. I mean COME ON! There’s just to way to have order envy when this combination of bliss is placed before you.
This is the summer staple. See you on the other side.
A Wedge Salad You Want
- Prep Time: 20
- Total Time: 20
Ingredients
For the Blue Cheese Dressing
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon diced red onion
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- pinch of granulated sugar
- pinch of garlic powder
- sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus more for topping the salad
For the Salad
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 3 slices thick cut bacon, baked to crisp, cooled and chopped
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1/2 an English cucumber, diced
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 3 tablespoons diced red onion
- 3 tablespoons sliced cornichon pickles
- extra blue cheese crumbles
- sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- First make the salad dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined, then add the blue cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste. Place in the refrigerator to chill until ready to top the salad.
- To assemble the salad the salad, cut the bottom core off the lettuce head and slice t into quarters. Feel free to cut the quarters into smaller wedges if you’d like.
- Top with dressing, bacon pieces, tomato, cucumber, avocado, onion, pickles, extra blue cheese, salt and pepper.
- Enjoy immediately, although you can cover and store these dressed salad wedges overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
Erin
Did anyone just hear my stomach growl? Gosh, this looks GOOD.
Barley Babes
A salad that doesn’t feel like health food is my restaurant go-to. You’re totally right–it’s order envy proof ;)
mrsmichellegoldsmith
This salad has all my favourites, with bacon, onion, tomato, avocado, cheese, buttermilk-based dressing — how can you go wrong with that combination over a nice wedge of crispy cold lettuce? Cannot wait to try this, and I just happen to have all the ingredients in the house / fridge at the moment . . . luncheon is served!
MITCH
This is def the kind of salad that I like! Looks nice :9
Melisa
Ooh, wonderful. What a great summer dish for when my belly says, “Fried chicken sandwich,” but my shorts button says, “Maybe a salad.”
Sarah
How long would that blue cheese dressing keep in the fridge?
Chrissy
Another way to prevent order envy is to always suggested splitting everything and eating tapas style. The downside is always if you do order the best thing and then you have to give some away, but I feel like in my experience this is less likely than the envy. It’s making me think: Why am I such a terrible orderer?
heather (delicious not gorgeous)
i feel like i have order regret more than order envy; if my dish comes out meh, then i wish i got the other one (even if i don’t see it in all its glory in person, ha).
Ashlyn @ The Pedantic Foodie
Oh my goodness!! I am lying on the couch with the flu right now and NOTHING sounds good, but this sounds SO GOOD! I want to drink that dressing, which would be gross at any other time, but in my feverish state it’s all I want. I can’t wait to try this once I’m up again!
ecaroline23
This looks so delicious! I’m not the biggest blue cheese fan but things can change! If not, goat cheese would probably be just as tasty.
http://whenhealthymettasty.com
Taste of France
I admit to loving iceberg lettuce, probably because I grew up with it and found its crunchiness to be so refreshing in summer. But I recently read that it’s terrible for the environment (uses lots of water) and basically worthless nutritionwise. We don’t find iceberg lettuce around here much, so I’d do your enticing recipe with a halved endive (not the same taste but at least crunchy).
Paula
Actually, endive sounds like a fun substitution — makes it easier to eat, too! I never really understood how you were supposed to go at a wedge salad in the first place.
joythebaker
Face first. Or with a fork and knife. Endive also sounds fantastic with that hint of bitter.
mrsmichellegoldsmith
Yes, we grew up with iceberg also in the Midwest. Now I live in the UK and use wedges of Little Gems. Similar in texture and lovely flavour, and a bit easier to eat face first. Just pick it up from one end and munch! And I am definitely making this dressing!!
Suzanne C
Yes, yes I do want it. Hmmm, I’m getting a new lettuce knife in the mail today. Celebratory Wedge Salad for everyone!
Life's Little Nic-Nacs
Yes! You definitely can’t go wrong with bacon and cheese! Thanks for sharing this recipe looks amazing.
Rena
Yes, order envy, I know this so well :) But I definitely love the recipe you share here – absolutely my taste, no doubt!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Patti
Wedge salads are so very pretty. I hate to have to cut them up to eat them. Unfortunately, my husband refuses to dine with me if I just pick up the wedge in my hand to eat it without cutting it up. He doesn’t understand that a beautiful salad should not be broken. The combination of flavors in this salad makes me want one right now. Do you deliver? I’m out of iceberg.