Madison Avenue Salad with Creamy Roquefort Dressing

Serves 6

Ingredients for the Creamy Roquefort Dressing:
1 pound good-quality Roquefort cheese
½ cup sour cream
½ mayonnaise
¼ cider vinegar
¼ extra-virgin olive oil
¼ half-and-half
1 teaspoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Chicken:
3 whole double chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on, about 1¼ pounds each
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ teaspoon white peppercorns

Ingredients for the Salad:
6 bacon slices, chopped
1 large head chicory (or frisée), chopped
1 head romaine, chopped
1 large head radicchio, chopped (or 2 cups chopped red cabbage)
6 deviled eggs, cut in half lengthwise
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved, for garnish

Preparation of the Dressing:
Place the Roquefort in a mixing bowl and lightly mash with a whisk. Add the cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, olive oil, half-and-half, shallot, and Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly; if the dressing seems too thick, add a little more half-and-half. Let the dressing sit in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to marry.

Preparation of the Chicken:
Place the breasts in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and skim the surface with a large spoon to remove any floating fat or scum. Turn down the heat to a low simmer and add the carrot, onion, celery, parsley, thyme, and peppercorns. Simmer for 1 hour, skimming the surface occasionally. Remove the cooked chicken from the saucepan and cool. Cut the meat from the bones and dice.

Preparation of the Salad:
Place the bacon in a skillet and set over medium heat. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels and set aside. Place the chicory and romaine in a large wooden salad bowl and add 1 cup of the dressing; toss thoroughly to combine. To serve, arrange the tossed lettuces on serving plates and arrange two deviled egg halves to one side of each serving. Evenly divide the diced chicken among the plates and top with the avocado, cherry tomatoes, and bacon.

The dressing recipe makes about 1½ cups and can be held in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 1 week.

~ from NM http://www.neimanmarcus.com/