Arthur Tauck has shared one of his favorite recipes, a “world famous” Gorgonzola Salad that was a house-specialty recipe at Porky Manero’s, a classic steak and prime rib restaurant in Westport, Connecticut from 1959 to the early 1990s. Even now, the salad is legendary and fondly remembered by diners – and as Arthur relays: “This was the simple, but secret recipe. It is best served as an appetizer, not as a side salad to the main course. And remember, it is the cool, crispness that adds so much to the taste – as well as the secret ingredient, the lemon juice!”
INGREDIENTS:
- Blocks of frozen, white (little green) gorgonzola cheese, kept frozen
- Canola oil
- Garlic
- White onion
- Green Pepper
- Lemon (the secret ingredient)
- Refrigerated iceberg lettuce
PROCEDURE:
- Put a metal mixing bowl in the freezer well ahead of mixing.
- Grate the frozen cheese through a grater; do not use a Cuisinart as it gums up the gorgonzola flakes. Return the grated cheese to the freezer.
- Finely chop the onion… and the pepper… then combine in a bowl and refrigerate until tossing.
- Press (not chop) cloves of garlic into some canola oil and let stand in refrigerator to absorb the flavor.
NOTE:
The above prep can be done well ahead of time and kept in fridge or freezer as directed.
MIXING AND SERVING:
- Chop the refrigerated lettuce to bite size pieces and transfer to the metal bowl from the freezer. “Cold” is a key; it adds to the zest and freshness of the salad.
- Add frozen flakes of gorgonzola.
- Sprinkle in the chopped onion and green pepper. Now toss – but toss dry; oil and lemon juice comes later.
- Once tossed, add a few tablespoons of the garlic in canola oil. Be careful not to oversaturate with the garlic / canola oil or the salad becomes mushy.
- Toss lightly.
- Transfer to individual salad plates that have been cooled in the freezer.
- Lastly, squeeze some lemon juice over each plate immediately before serving, and salt and pepper to taste.
