The Ottolenghi Wedge Joins the Best Ottolenghi Recipes

Tampering with the classics is risky business. The reason they’re classics is because every element works so well you can’t imagine doing without an item or adding one. The WEDGE is associated with restaurants, particularly steak houses and with steaks. I can’t think of another cut of meat that is typically accompanied by a wedge salad. The traditional wedge was typically two items, stone cold iceberg lettuce cut in a wedge and a rich blue cheese dressing generously topping and pooling on the the plate. The point was every bite would have dressing.

I don’t eat steak as much as I used to and Ottolenghi is more famous for his salads and vegetarian dishes than meat dishes. So I was intrigued when I saw the Instagram photo for an Ottolenghi Wedge salad that displayed a lot of more than two ingredients. That’s Ottolenghi's trademark--lots of ingredients. But he, oh so honestly, admits it wasn’t his idea but came from a restaurant in Toronto.

One of the best Ottolenghi salads

The big change made was substituting aubergine cream for the blue cheese dressing. Are people eating less cheese now too? I know I am. Substituting a rich, creamy, bold sauce that distracts you with every bite, just like the blue cheese did, was they key to making the recipe work. You want to eat this sauce.

Lay the wedges out on plates or a platter. Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Treat each wedge to a generous scoop of the aubergine cream. You could quit right there but don’t. Layer on thinly sliced radishes, avocados, grated parmesan, chives, more olive oil and a crunchy mixture of chopped almonds and pumpkin seeds browned in olive oil with salt. I was astounded at the affinity the pumpkin seeds have for almonds. I eat a handful every time I pass by the container on my counter. I made a lot of it and it’s been a nice addition to everything I have tried it on.

The recipe as printed in The Guardian, also calls for bread crumbs with the nut mixture. Due to gluten free guests I omitted the bread and didn't miss it. I have a relationship with the Guardian so I can access the recipe without issues. I hope they will let you look at it. The ingredients for the aubergine cream are listed below. Everything else assembles with common sense and won’t suffer with inexact measurements.

The Ottolenghi Wedge will be my buffet salad now and on my list of Ottolenghi Best Recipes. It’s photogenic. You can make it in advance and store in the refrigerator all afternoon. I’m eating leftovers three days later that haven’t lost the crunch of the lettuce, radishes or the nut topping. The avocado is not really designed for advance or leftover use. I will add it at last minute next time I serve this which will be soon.

Aubergine Cream (for small head of iceberg lettuce cut in wedges to serve 4)

2 aubergines, pricked all over with a fork and roasted until soft inside and charred or browned on the outside in the oven or in a griddle pan

2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Drain the aubergines in a colander and discard the juice. Scrape out the flesh from the skin and puree with the rest of the ingredients. Leftovers of the cream are delicious on a baked potato, toast, asparagus or cauliflower.

Spanish Hanger Steak from Curate Restaurant in Asheville NC, Buffet Potatoes and Ottolenghi Wedge Salad