Email to Cat      

Rich and Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing

Source of Recipe

"Cook's Illustrated Cookbook" by the editors of America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"We found that the secret to good blue cheese dressing lay in the creamy components, which we narrowed down to three: mayonnaise to give the dressing body, sour cream to supply tang, and buttermilk both to thin out the dressing and to support the sour cream. We also added a little white wine vinegar for zing and just a bit of sugar to take off any harsh edge. As for the main ingredient —the cheese— we ruled out really pungent blue cheeses as too overpowering; a mild blue cheese works best. For the right chunky consistency, we mixed the crumbled blue cheese with the buttermilk before adding any other ingredients. In a pinch, whole milk may be used in place of buttermilk. The dressing will be a bit lighter and milder in flavor, but will still taste good. Remember that aggressive seasoning with salt and pepper is necessary because the dressing will be dispersed over the greens."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 ½ ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
â—¦ 3 tablespoons buttermilk
â—¦ 3 tablespoons sour cream
â—¦ 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
â—¦ 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon sugar
â—¦ â…› teaspoon garlic powder
â—¦ Salt and pepper


Recipe

Mash blue cheese and buttermilk in small bowl with fork until mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Makes ¾ cup