• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. pancetta cut into 1-inch pieces (or use a good quality bacon such as apple-smoked)
• 1 large head of iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges
• Gorgonzola dressing below
•  radishes, ends trimmed thinly sliced
•  cherry tomatoes, halved
• walnuts, toasted and chopped (I added)

Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan, add the pancetta and cook, stirring until it has rendered most of its fat and is golden and crispy,  5 to 7 minutes.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Gorgonzola dressing:

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar (I used the balsamic)
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup (6 oz.) crumbled Gorgonzola or any good quality blue cheese
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1-2 tbsp. milk

Put the mustard, vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl and season with salt and pepper (I do not add).  Slowly whisk in the oil and 1/2 cup of the Gorgonzola and mash with a fork.  Whisk in the sour cream and enough milk to make the best consistency.  Add the rest of the Gorgonzola.  Use right away or store in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Place a wedge on each of 6 salad plates.  Pour the dressing over each wedge, about 2/3 cup.  Garnish with the pancetta or bacon (see candied bacon recipe below), radishes and cherry tomato halves.

As Buddy states, “the radishes and cherry tomatoes provide sweetness, acidity and crunch that balance the richness of the other ingredients”.  This is an excellent blue cheese dressing to use on any salad.

Candied Bacon:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 6 thick slices of applewood bacon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place foil on a large baking sheet and put a wire rack coated with non-stick spray on top. Combine the first four ingredients and press into the bacon. Place the bacon on wire rack. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until crisp. Let cool and remove from rack; tear into pieces.

Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com 

• juice of 1 lemon (add to taste as some lemons give you more juice)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup buttermilk (add only enough to make the consistency you would like)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 6 oz. blue cheese, crumbled (use a good quality such as Maytag)
• toasted, chopped walnuts
• 2 heads iceberg lettuce (I also like to use charred romaine hearts)
• 10 slices bacon (applewood smoked would be delicious), cooked and crumbled
• 1 tomato, chopped (or use cherry tomatoes cut in half)
• freshly ground black pepper

Combine the first six ingredients and whisk together until smooth.  Add the cheese and continue to blend.  Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Core and quarter each head of lettuce.  Serve a generous scoop of dressing over each lettuce wedge and top with the bacon and tomato.  Season with pepper.

Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com