Chipotle Blue Cheese Dressing

Chipotle Blue Cheese Dressing

I love how smoky flavors complement blue cheese’s salty bite, so I stirred in some chipotle powder for both its smoke and its heat. To cut through the dressing’s richness, I added a splash of white wine vinegar, though I reckon red wine vinegar or lime juice could work just as well.
As for my BLT salad, some may know it as an iceberg wedge. This classic dish, comprised of blue cheese dressing and a thick slice from a head of iceberg lettuce, has been around since at least the late 1800s.

The thick, crisp leaves lack a strong flavor which makes it a terrific vehicle for a robust, heavier topping. Throw in some crumbled bacon and a ripe, juicy tomato, and you have a refreshing, filling dish.
Eating this salad is a spot healthier than eating a BLT sandwich, since you don’t have the carbohydrates from the bread. But I love it because it’s quick and cool. And if you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen, this salad will definitely satisfy.

Chipotle blue cheese dressing
Ingredients:
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled and divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons buttermilk, plus more if needed
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo*
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sour cream or thick, Greek-style yogurt
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Place the half the blue cheese crumbles, mayonnaise, buttermilk, garlic, paprika, chipotle chile powder (or canned chipotle chile), and vinegar in a blender and blend until smooth. Stir in the sour cream and remaining blue cheese crumbles. Taste and add salt and black pepper to taste.

If you want a thinner dressing, stir in more buttermilk until it’s the desired thickness.

Yield: about 1 cup

Note: Use one chipotle chile in adobo, not a WHOLE can!

BLT salad (Iceberg wedge with bacon and tomatoes):
Ingredients:
1 head of iceberg lettuce
8 pieces of cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup diced red, ripe tomato
1 cup chipotle blue cheese dressing

Method:
Cut the iceberg lettuce into four wedges, lengthwise. Place each wedge on a plate, and top with crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes and chipotle blue cheese dressing.

Yield: 4 servings

http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2011/06/chipotle-blue-cheese-dressing-recipe.html