Last week a discussion first focused on North American regional fly fishing options (d)evolved into a spirited debate as to the merits of different regional American cuisines.
While our fly fishing hearts will probably always be centered in the Northern Rockies, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho clearly don’t have an absolutely unique cuisine or food heritage along the lines of Texas, New Mexico or the Deep South.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s great food in the Northern Rockies; press me for my personal vision of a great Montana meal and I’d probably argue the slab of Angus prime rib at Sir Scott’s in Manhattan is probably the finest I’ve ever tasted.
Even the unicorn-chasing, litigiously-bent, PNW fisher present that day admitted that the glory days of steelhead and salmon as a food source were in practice long gone (at least for now), and he’s even convinced that radiation issues (Fukushima) make eating oysters debatable, a topic for another day and another place.
We came to the conclusion that the Gulf states, boasting the bounty of redfish in the bayou, recovering Gulf fisheries and their regional food specialties, probably win the crown when it comes to great fishing and great food right in the neighborhood.
One of the group (the skinny one) even went so far as argue that the classic wedge salad, claimed by Texas as a regional side dish, was her ideal example of southern regional food. The rest of us, holding visions of immense platters of cheese enchiladas, chicken friend steak, shrimp and grits, friend chicken and so and on and so forth stared at her in blank amazement.
Funny thing, within a couple of days we’d dug out our recipe for what we’ve come to call The Bacon Wedge with a homespun Blue Cheese Dressing. It combines the simplistic genius of the classic wedge with a damned good, not too overpowering and not too cloying, blue cheese dressing.
And extra bacon is always good.
Blue Cheese Dressing
1 1/2 cups blue cheese crumbles, divided into three parts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup thick Greek yogurtThe Wedge
Head of iceberg lettuce, cored and quartered
8 slices thick-sliced bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Other goodies: Dried cranberries, diced avocado, chopped scallions, fried shallots, etc.
Concoct the dressing. Place 1/2 cup blue cheese, the mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, garlic, pepper and paprika in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl stir in the yogurt and another 1/2 cup blue cheese. Fiddle with salt and pepper to taste if you’re so inclined.
Wedge it. Plate the lettuce quarters, drizzle heavily with dressing, top with bacon crumbles, tomato halves and the remaining 1/2 cup blue cheese. Add the other goodies and you’re good to go.
Enjoy.
