Twisted Iceberg Lettuce Salad With Warm Gorgonzola Dressing

This is a classic salad which was inspired by some posts this week which reminded me of mine. But this is my favorite way, still classic flavors but a bit different, with a warm blue cheese or gorgonzola sauce as well as diced marinated vegetables and roasted tomatoes make this a great salad - upgraded.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  head iceberg lettuce, cut in wedges
• 5  bacon, slices (chopped and cooked)
• 1⁄2 small red onion, diced fine
• 1⁄4 cup black olives, diced fine
• 1⁄3 cup seedless cucumber, fine chopped
• 1  teaspoon  italian  vinaigrette (your favorite store bought will work fine)
• 1⁄8 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half and roasted
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  salt for the tomatoes
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  black pepper for the tomatoes
• 2  shallots, finely chopped
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 6  ounces gorgonzola
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper (for the sauce)

Directions

1. Make the blue cheese sauce. In a small pot add the 3 tablespoons of butter and melt, add the shallots and cook 2-3 minutes until lightly soft. Add the cheese, sauce, cream and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook on low on the back burner until you are ready to serve.
2. Saute the chopped or diced bacon until nice and crispy remove and drain on a paper towel and set to the side.
3. Marinating the chopped vegetables. Chop the olives (or you can buy them pre chopped), chop the cucumber and red onion. Toss in a mixing cup of anything you want with just 1 teaspoon of Italian vinaigrette. You don't need much and you don't want to soak the vegetables. Just a light seasoning and then chill.
4. As the vegetables marinade, now the tomatoes. Either on the stove in a saute pan or in a 400 degree oven, cut the grape or cherry tomatoes in half, drizzle a little olive oil on them, salt and pepper and cook just until slightly cooked. Just 5-7 minutes tops. Don't over cook, you want them warm but not "too soft or mushy.".
5. Lets put it together -- Now put your wedge on a nice plate with the chilled wedge, then top with some of the roasted tomatoes which should be slightly warm, top with some of the marinated cucumber, olive and onion mix. Then top with the warm gorgonzola sauce and top with chopped bacon.
6. It just takes the classic and makes it even better, the warm dressing is so good against the chilled marinated chopped vegetables and chilled lettuce.