Lettuce Wedge Salad

Summer is back in Montreal and with the temperatures rising, all I want to eat is salad. At some point though you start getting tired of salads. That’s when I stumbled upon pictures of really cute lettuce wedge salads. I had to try it out!

This is perfect as you can customize it to add anything you want. The key is to have a nice, fresh iceberg lettuce. Yup, that’s right! This salad makes iceberg lettuce truly shine. Crispy and fresh, it’s perfect for hot days.

Here is what you need:

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce
• 1 orange
• 2 small apples
• 10 cherries
• 1 bloc of smoked tofu
• 1 tsp oil
• the juice of 1 lemon (minus 3 tbs to add to the dressing)
• sesame seeds to garnish
• sriracha sauce to garnish

For the dressing:

• 3 tbs sesame oil
• 3 tbs lemon juice
• 2 tbs tamari sauce
• 1 tbs maple syrup
• zest of 1 lemon

Here is what you do:

1. Remove the damaged outer leaves from the lettuce and wash the whole head under water. Place in a colander and let drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Dice the smoked tofu in tiny cubes. In a non-stick pan, heat the oil on medium heat and add the tofu cubes when hot. Stir from time to time, until golden and crunchy. Set aside.
3. Peel the orange and cut each wedge in 3 or 4 parts. Set aside.
4. Grate the apples and mix with the lemon juice. Set aside.
5. Cut each cherry in half to remove the pit and set aside.
6. Pat dry the lettuce head with paper towels and cut in half. Cut each half in 3 parts and remove the foot.
7. On each plate, place some grated apples at the bottom. Place the lettuce wedge in the middle. Add some orange pieces, cherries, and tofu bits. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds and add some sriracha.
8. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and pour over a few tablespoons on top of the lettuce wedge. Serve and enjoy!

This is so good! The lettuce is so crunchy and goes perfectly with the fresh fruits. The tofu is crispy, and its smoky taste is the perfect alternative to bacon. The dressing adds just the right amount of tartness and saltiness. The flavours really work together, and this is just the perfect summer salad. Let me know if you try it out!