BUTTERMILK GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

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Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing image

A classic of the West Coast, this dressing was created in the 1920s by San Francisco's Palace Hotel in honor of a play by the same name. With buttermilk standing in for sour cream, my "Southern" version is light, tangy, and chock-full of green herbs. It's the quintessential spring and summer dressing, and because it's all about using the freshest herbs-whether dill, chervil, sorrel, or cilantro-I almost never make it the same way twice.

Yield makes about 1 cup

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/4 cup your favorite or Homemade Mayonnaise (page 280)
1 small Kirby cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Juice of 1/2 lime
4 or 5 fresh basil or celery leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Place the buttermilk, mayonnaise, cucumber, chives, tarragon, mustard, lime juice, and basil in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, or for up to 1 week.
  • Think of this dressing as a backdrop for whatever herbs and light greens are in season. Herbs like dill, oregano, marjoram, thyme, and parsley add personality and flavor while spinach adds a pop of green; peppery arugula and watercress add delicate heat; and lemony sorrel is refreshingly tart. To make an even lighter version, substitute plain low-fat yogurt for the mayonnaise.

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