Feta-Ranch Wedge Salad
A towering wedge salad is fun to look at, but the height and shape make it impractical for a couple reasons: Toppings tumble right off and dressings can’t permeate it properly. This recipe fixes all that by calling for thinly sliced wedges that are stacked on their sides. The toppings stay put, and the dressing can work its way into all the little nooks and crannies. This salad looks impressive, it tastes delicious and it’s actually quite no-fuss: You can make the dressing days ahead of time, and swap in whatever herbs, spices, seasonings you have and crave. The only tricky aspect is emulsifying your feta. The key is time: Scrape the sides as needed and keep blending. With some coaxing, it always gets there.
Yield
4
Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
6 ounces brined feta, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving
1/4 teaspoon dried mint leaves
Salt and pepper
3 Persian cucumbers, very thinly sliced (preferably using a mandoline)
Fresh lemon zest and juice, to taste
1 large head iceberg lettuce
Aleppo pepper (or sumac, or gochugaru, or any other red pepper flake nearby)
Instructions
Step 1
Make the feta-ranch dressing: Crumble the feta into a high-speed blender. Add ⅓ cup water plus the mayonnaise, olive oil and lemon zest and blend until creamy, pausing to scrape the sides of the blender as needed. (If your blender isn't so powerful, add a little more water and time.) Add the scallions, dill and dried mint, and pulse briefly just until combined (think: green flecks, not a green purée). Transfer to a lidded container and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Dressing makes 1 cup and will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.)
Step 2
In a medium bowl, sprinkle the cucumbers generously with salt and top with a little bit of lemon zest and juice, to taste. Give the cucumbers a good squeeze, massaging in the salt and distributing the seasonings.
Step 3
When ready to serve, halve the head of lettuce through the core. Next, set both flat sides on a cutting board, and cut each half into four thin wedges, slicing through the core to try to keep the slices intact. (The beauty of a thinner wedge is that you don’t need to worry about the wedges falling apart, as you’ll be setting them on their sides.)
Step 4
Carefully transfer the wedges to a serving platter. Drizzle the top of each wedge generously with the dressing to coat. (You can serve any additional dressing on the side, or save for future use). Arrange the cucumber slices in neat shingled clusters. Tear some fresh dill on top, then drizzle with olive oil, which will infiltrate the nooks and crannies of the wedges, and make the color pop. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper and serve immediately.
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