This lettuce and blue cheese salad has its own character—it's for those seeking exciting and extraordinary side dishes for grill parties and for meat or fish dishes. It is a perfect appetizer or garnish for the main course.
You can make it more fun by taking the lettuce leaves with your hands as a snack. It will also be a good match for your summer grill party! It's versatile, rich in taste, and will add color and fun to your meal. It's anything but plain or boring!
The star of the dish is not the lettuce, though. It's the anchovy fillet dressing, adding a punch of flavor and spiciness to the dish, and the blue cheese with its intense bouquet of flavors. However, if your taste buds are still seeking adventure and spiciness, why not add chili pepper rings? The red-colored details will make the salad even more eye-catching.
Ingredients
To make this quick and easy yet rather brave salad, you'll need:
- Romaine lettuce salad (or Iceberg salad - opt for one with smaller leaves and a crunchy texture)
- Blue cheese (Roquefort or Gorgonzola, for instance)
- Anchovy fillets (finely chopped)
- Red onion (red onion has a less intense flavor than the white one and is, therefore, a better match for this salad that has an intense mixture of flavors already)
- Minced garlic
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Directions
- Prepare the dressing: Combine the dressing ingredients, namely minced garlic, chopped anchovy fillets, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
- Place lettuce leaves on a serving plate.
- Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese over the lettuce leaves. Aim at the center of each leave so it's easier to grab the salad and the filling stays within it.
- Add thinly sliced red onion and chopped chili pepper (optional).
- Season with salt and pepper and the anchovy dressing.
Let's be honest here—blue cheese is not for everyone. Some love it, and some hate it. However, with the right recipe, you can make the haters question their beliefs. The taste of blue cheese doesn't always have to dominate a dish. Anchovy fillets are another ingredient with an intense flavor that balances the blue cheese.
Lettuce and Blue Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Romaine lettuce salad
- 1 red onion
- 100 g blue cheese
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (preferably cold-pressed olive oil)
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ chili pepper optional
Instructions
Prepare the sauce
- Mince the garlic, and chop the anchovy fillets finely (until it resembles a purée).Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and the anchovy fillets.Add crumbled blue cheese, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
Assemble the salad
- On a large plate, lay out the lettuce salad leaves. You can cut them in halves if the leaves are too large.Distribute the sauce evenly over the lettuce leaves. Add thinly sliced red onion on top and serve. (We prefer mincing the onion with hands before serving so that it starts juicing and becomes softer.)Enjoy it as an appetizer or try it with these tempting beef kebabs - they will make a perfect duo for your summer grill party.
Video
Notes
- Roquefort and Gorgonzola are great options for this salad.
- You can replace Romaine lettuce salad with iceberg salad or any other crunchy salad with smaller leaves, so it's easy to grab as a snack.
- Serve as a side dish to grilled meat or fish.
Leave a Reply