Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing for Mother's Day

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swinchen

Cook
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
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Location
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Hi All,

So my mom had a special request for mothers day...
1) Sweedish Meatballs w/ Egg noodles
2) Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing.

Ok, so I would like to make a homemade dressing. Does anyone have any stellar concoctions?

Also I would like to make the salad itself special. What sort of goodies do you think would go nicely in this type of salad? I am thinking maybe candied pecans and pear... I am not sure. Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks,
Sam
 
For the bleu cheese salad I would suggest using a wedge of iceberg and topping the wedge with the dressing, chopped crispy bacon, chives, and a few grape tomatoes. Here is my dressing recipe:
a bit more than 1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch white pepper
pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Make this the day before. I don't see the pears matching very well with the bleu cheese though nor the candied pecans - JMHO though. If there was a basic red wine vinaigrette dressing used with bleu cheese crumbles versus a full-blown bleu cheese dressing...that combination would work much better. I do something like that and even add blueberries to it.
 
i think any sweet fruit goes great with bleu cheese....pears, apples, grapes, cranberries, etc

we have served a cheese platter of strong bleu and stilton cheeses with slices of pear and grapes

we often make a salad of craisens, pears, apples, romaine, and bleu cheese topped with a maple balsamic dressing and candied almond slivers....very tasty (that doesnt seem to match you requirements perfectly, but you could adjust it)

seems like you can find a salad that contains cranberries, nuts and bleu cheese in almost any restaurant these days
 
Thanks all for the suggestions.

ooo apple sounds good too. I think what I will do when I candy the walnuts is put a touch of cayenne pepper to make them just a little spicy. I think the sweet of the fruit (and sugar glaze on the nuts) and the creaminess of the dress would compliment that nicely.

I. admittedly, am not a huge fan of bleu cheese dressing... so this is an interesting challenge for me.
 
there is an easy way to make you a fan of bleu cheese....first, find some good quality bleu....personally, i find the cheap, pre-crumbled stuff at the store to be dry and not that great...if you can find a good, sharp and CREAMY bleu cheese, it will be perfect

now, take a bite, and follow it almost immediatly with a fresh & sweet grape/pear/apple....maybe have a bit of port with it? i could eat that all day!

ps - i really like the idea of adding spice to your salad
 
i think any sweet fruit goes great with bleu cheese....pears, apples, grapes, cranberries, etc

we have served a cheese platter of strong bleu and stilton cheeses with slices of pear and grapes

we often make a salad of craisens, pears, apples, romaine, and bleu cheese topped with a maple balsamic dressing and candied almond slivers....very tasty (that doesnt seem to match you requirements perfectly, but you could adjust it)

seems like you can find a salad that contains cranberries, nuts and bleu cheese in almost any restaurant these days

I also agree that all of the fruit you mentioned goes GREAT with bleu cheese. It's just the dressing that I don't see the fruit going with. The balsamic dressing with the bleu cheese crumbles - PERFECTION! The bleu cheese DRESSING with fruit...not so much :LOL: I think more savory i.e., the bacon, chives, and tomatoes.
 
Is there a particular brand of bleu you recommend? I live in a rather rural area so my cheese selection is pretty much limited to the local grocery stores specialty cheese section.

Thanks!
 
I think Roquefort is much better than Blue Cheese,.

I like to add tomato, green pepper, onion, hard boiled eggs, cheese, and black olives and croutons to my salads. If I make a really big salad I also add ham, turkey, chicken and shrimp.

MY salad dressing is a little different

Roquefort (no set amount - add amount that you like)
I cup Mayo
1 tablespoon whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
--> No salt or pepper

Mix the ingredients together. If you think the dressing is too thick add milk 1 TEASPOON at a time, and mix well after each addition. Regrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight in a sealed jar.

Optional: 1/4 teaspoon of granluated garlic. (Not gralic salt or gralic powder.} If you do not have granulated garlic ignore this. .

I am sure a chef can explain it better, but my opinion is the Roquefort is a softer cheese that has a flavor that is subtle yet distinct..It is good served with a white wine that is not too dry. .
 
your grocery store's cheese selection should have a nice bleu for eating (the pre-crumbled stuff should be fine for salads)....i would ask the person behind the counter for a suggestion....if they don't know what they are talking about (which is prob likely), any bleu that is sold in a whole chunk/wedge is bound to be better than the other stuff....also, sometimes you can tell which ones are creamier just by looking at them

get a small piece and try it
 
I add crumbled bleu cheese to Miracle Whip (it's tangier than mayo) and add a dash of Worchester sauce and a squeeze of lemon. Add a little freshly cracked black pepper if you like. Thin to desired consistancy with a tiny bit of milk.
 
I think Roquefort is much better than Blue Cheese,.

I like to add tomato, green pepper, onion, hard boiled eggs, cheese, and black olives and croutons to my salads. If I make a really big salad I also add ham, turkey, chicken and shrimp.


I am sure a chef can explain it better, but my opinion is the Roquefort is a softer cheese that has a flavor that is subtle yet distinct..It is good served with a white wine that is not too dry. .


I agree, Roquefort is my favorite as well. But it's certainly a much stronger flavored blue than most and not to everyone's palate I can't give away my DW's secrets, but she wont use all Roquefort in her dressing, she uses some of a more subtle blue mixed in so the Roquefort doesn't overpower it.

I like the sound of your salad too, except black olives .. not to my taste I'm afraid :)
 
For the bleu cheese salad I would suggest using a wedge of iceberg and topping the wedge with the dressing, chopped crispy bacon, chives, and a few grape tomatoes. Here is my dressing recipe:
a bit more than 1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch white pepper
pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Make this the day before.
This dressing sounds great! I usually sprinkle the blue cheese over one of my vinaigrettes rather than the full blown creamy dressing. I find that Dijon mustart whisked into a vinaigrette mimics the cream wo the fat.

I don't see the pears matching very well with the bleu cheese though nor the candied pecans - JMHO though.
Gee... I consider pears and blue cheese a classic combination! [We have that for dessert on a regular basis!] I do prefer toasted walnuts with pears and blue cheese, tho.
 
I think Roquefort is much better than Blue Cheese,.

.....I am sure a chef can explain it better, but my opinion is the Roquefort is a softer cheese that has a flavor that is subtle yet distinct..It is good served with a white wine that is not too dry. .

Linicx, Roquefort IS blue cheese, but not all blue cheese is Roquefort! ;) and its classic wine pairing is Sauternes, the sweetest of all French white wines. :)

I too, prefer Roquefort over most other blue cheeses, but there are quite a few that are also tasty, altho not the same as Roquefort. My favorite domestic blue cheese is Point Reyes Blue from Marin County, CA.
 
Blue Cheese Dip/Dressing

Danish blue cheese - 1/2 lb. - softened
Cream cheese - 8 oz. - softened
Sour cream - 16 oz. - room temp
Bacon (to taste) - fried, drained, and chopped small

Add all ingredients to processor and pulse till well mixed. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve as dip or as salad dressing.

Mixed Tossed Salad

Romaine lettuce
Red leaf lettuce
Boston and/or Bib lettuce
Escarole
Dandelion greens
Watercress
Arugula
Mescaline greens (baby wild greens)
Baby spinach
Radicchio

Tear and wash above greens into bite size pieces; spin dry.

Red cabbage - Shred Red cabbage on mandolin type slicer or slice very thin with knife.
Carrot - peel skin off; then using peeler shave carrot.
Black olives
Cherry or Grape tomatoes
Red onion - thinly sliced

Dress with Blue Cheese Dressing.
 
The last blue cheese I bought at a grocer was Athenos bramd, a Wisconsin product. It is a little sharp for my tastes, but overall it is a not a bad blue cheese when mixed in a dressing. .

On of my all time favorte dressings is Kraft branded Catalina Dressiong with blue cheese crumbles sprinkled liberally over the dressing. .Many of the traditional blue cheese/Roquefort lovers like this too.
 
has anyone had Maytag Blue cheese? i think it's the only blue cheese made in the USA. it is so mild and creamy you can eat it like table cheese. i love it. i have found it in a Shop-Rite and at a whole foods.
 
has anyone had Maytag Blue cheese? i think it's the only blue cheese made in the USA. it is so mild and creamy you can eat it like table cheese. i love it. i have found it in a Shop-Rite and at a whole foods.

There are MANY blue cheeses now made in US, Msmofet. but Maytag was among the first ones.

Without thinking, I can safely name:
Point Reyes Blue
Rothkase Buttermilk Blue
Oregonzola
Oregon Blue Cheese (there's a company in Oregon that ONLY makes blue cheeses -- at least 5 different ones!)
Capriole
Deep Ellum Blue
Hubbardston Blue
and there are at least thirty (yes, 30!) more I am sure.
 
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