I did not know that chopped salad had a celebrity pedigree, but AI just informed me. I went searching for some history on the dish, which I associate with red-sauce restaurants, and learned that it likely originated in Beverly Hills in the 1950s. Chopped salads with chickpeas, salame and mozzarella were a favorite with tony Angelenos, fancied by starlets like Natalie Wood and ladies-who-lunch like Nancy Reagan. Seven decades later, they’re still popular. They’re colorful, crunchy and amenable to improv. Include what you like; omit what you don’t. But I guarantee you’ll be happy with the outcome if you ditch the mozzarella for Rogue Creamery’s Smokey Blue. It’s like adding bacon, but not. Smoked cheeses aren’t often my go-to but Smokey Blue in a chopped salad is absolutely meant to be.
According to Marguerite Merritt, senior brand manager for Oregon’s Rogue Creamery, Smokey Blue was the world’s first smoked blue cheese when it debuted 20 years ago. The creamery received an innovation award for it at the world’s biggest food show (SIAL) the following year. Today, several U.S. creameries make a smoked blue, but Merritt says some use liquid smoke. Rogue’s smoker is fueled with hazelnut shells, a nod to one of the state’s most important crops.
Smokey Blue and Rogue’s signature Oregon Blue are basically the same cheese until they’re 65 to 80 days old. At that point, the batch is evaluated and either sent to the smoker or back to the cave for extra aging. Smokey Blue is roughly three to four months old at release. It is rindless, with a buttery texture and bacon aroma. Melt it on a burger, add it to ranch dressing or make it the star of your next chopped salad.
Chopped Salad with Rogue Smokey Blue
Improvisation is encouraged. Add diced avocado, red bell peppers, golden beets, Doug’s pickled red onions. Use white beans or kidney beans instead of the chickpeas. As you can see, I prefer shaving cucumbers and radishes instead of chopping them. Make the vinaigrette at least an hour ahead to allow the flavors to merge.
On my platter:
Persian cucumbers
Greek peperoncini
Chickpeas
Cherry tomatoes
Radishes
Kalamata olives
Radicchio
Romaine hearts
Green onions
Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue
Italian Vinaigrette (to serve four):
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced capers
2 teaspoons Vietnamese fish sauce
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled fine
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely minced or grated with a Microplane
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the vinaigrette, put the vinegar, capers, fish sauce, oregano, mustard and garlic in a small bowl. Whisk to blend. Whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust the vinegar/oil ratio to your taste. Let stand at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Combine all the salad ingredients except the cheese in a large bowl. Add enough dressing to coat everything nicely and toss well. Crumble in the cheese and toss again gently.
Serve immediately.