Iceberg Wedge with Blue Cheese Dressing

This is adapted from Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton at home.  It’s partly the chilled salad plates that make the difference.  You can also experiment with high-end roquefort cheese and if you want, add thin slices of fresh pear and toasted walnuts, on the side as an accoutrement.

1 small head of iceberg (organic is available, now, too)
4 oz blue cheese crumbled
2 ½ tbs good sherry vinegar
¼ tsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tsp chopped thyme
1 minced garlic clove
½ cup (or less) extra-virgin olive oil
4 chilled salad bowls

Cut the lettuce in half, remove stem, and cut each piece in half (i.e. quarter it).

In a bowl, crumble half the blue cheese, add vinegar, pepper, thyme and garlic and slowly drizzle in the olive oil with a whisk until oil is mixed in.

Distribute dressing evenly over the four lettuce wedges.  Crumble the remaining blue cheese on top of each.