This is along the lines of the thicker style blue cheese dressing, also known as Roquefort. Perfect for chunky vegetable salads, for dipping things in, or as the perfect dressing for the infamous “wedge” salad. It’s also great on baked potatoes. I like to use red wine vinegar, even though it tinges the dressing faintly pink. If you want pristine whiteness, just use white wine vinegar in lieu of red wine vinegar. Make this dressing whenever you have buttermilk on hand, because let’s face it, nothing uses a full quart of buttermilk (and it seems you can only get it in quarts nowadays). There is no salt added in this recipe as mayo and blue cheese both tend to be salty.
INGREDIENTS:
2-3 ounces (3-4 tablespoons) blue cheese, or more to taste ¼ teaspoon sugar black pepper to taste (an bit more than you normally might use as the dressing will mask the pepper a little) 3 tablespoons buttermilk 3 tablespoons labne*, sour cream, or Greek style yogurt 2 level tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon each red wine vinegar and white balsamic vinegar 1 smallish pinch of garlic powder, or 1 small garlic clove, peeled
METHOD:
If using fresh garlic, rub the inside bottom of a non-reactive bowl with the garlic clove to coat with garlic oil.
Crumble the blue cheese with your fingers into the bowl, getting it a little smaller than cottage cheese curds. Some bigger chunks are fine.
Add the buttermilk and whisk together.
Add the sugar and pepper, and garlic powder if you are using that instead of the fresh clove, and whisk in.
Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and taste. Adjust taste as needed, but remember that the flavors will merge with a little time, and the flavor of the cheese will permeate the dressing after 20 minutes or so.
Chef’s Notes:
*Labne is also known as Yogurt Cheese, Kefir Cheese, Strained Yogurt, and is sometimes spelled Labneh or Lebni. It is quite thick, but not as tart as Greek style yogurt. It makes a good substitute for sour cream.
Yield: A little over a ½ cup, or enough for 2 well-dressed salads or 4 lightly-dressed salads.
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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