Light Creamy Lemon Coriander Dressing

I was in the mood for salad, but wanted something a little creamer than the usual vinaigrette. I also wanted something a little light as I was dressing baby greens. My Meyer lemon tree had just given me an abundance of fruit also, so all these things were playing in my mind as I opened the refrigerator. Here is the result.

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

Rub the bottom of a largish stainless steel bowl with the garlic clove. Do this hard enough so you can see streaks of garlic oil on the bottom of the bowl. This will flavor the dressing, but keep it subtle.

Add the lemon juice and water to the bowl, and then whisk in the honey.

Add the thyme and coriander, and the salt and pepper. Whisk to blend.

Add the yogurt and whisk to thoroughly incorporate all the ingredients.

Taste for balance. You might want to actually dip a piece of lettuce for a better idea of how the dressing tastes and what it might need. Depending on how tart and/or thick your yogurt is, I am guessing you might need to add some more honey or water to mellow out the tartness a little. Also, you may need some more coriander. When you have it to your liking, it is ready to use. This will last in the refrigerator a couple days.

Yield: Around ¾ cup of dressing

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

Chef’s Notes:

If you wish, you could whisk in some just sliced mint leaves or cilantro for a nice refreshing addition I wouldn’t leave the leaves in for long, however, as they will start to break down and give the dressing a muddy flavor. You could add orange juice instead of water, or use half rice vinegar and half orange juice to change things up. Straight orange juice will not have enough acid to carry the dressing off. You could make the dressing using 2 tablespoons of Meyer lemon juice and add 2 tablespoons of water, and substitute vanilla yogurt as a dressing for strawberries.