When we sat down with Chris Johnson, Chef and Owner of The Meeting House for our hometown recipe, we had no idea that the salad recipe that we would be asking him for was actually a nod to another Rochester favorite. Many of you may remember ordering "The Marty Salad" from The Family Buggy, a Rochester Hills staple owned by the Payne family for 20 years. When creating the opening menu for The Meeting House, Johnson knew he wanted to give a nod to one of his local favorites, and that's just what he did. The "TMH Salad" has been on the menu at The Meeting House since opening their doors in 2012 and there are no plans for it to disappear anytime soon. The simple ingredients make it easy to re-create at home, but if you're like us, we prefer to have with a nice glass of wine at their place (the biggest bonus is that they also do all the dishes.) Happy cooking!
Dressing:
1 cup heavy duty mayo
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Mix all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl with a wire whisk until combined.
For the Salad:
1/2 cup bacon crumbles
1/2 cup Tillamook cheddar
2 cups iceberg lettuce
Cook 2-3 strips of thick bacon, crumble after cooked to your liking. Wash and chop the iceberg lettuce. Layer the iceberg lettuce on the bottom of salad bowl followed by the crumbled bacon and cheddar. Drizzle the dressing over top. Feel free to add any protein you like - our favorites are blackened chicken, shrimp or salmon.
Since opening The Meeting House in 2012 alongside his business partner Jason Mood, Chef Chris Johnson has been creating beautiful dishes that quickly become local favorites. He works closely with his culinary team to create seasonally inspired menu items that are collaborative, unique, and of course, delicious.