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| What my dressing MIGHT look like if I took a photo of it. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
I never much looked at buttermilk without thinking of baking. It's known for use in pancakes, biscuits and chocloate cake.
It certainly doesn't taste like butter. Instead, it's more like a thin yogurt.
It certainly doesn't taste like butter. Instead, it's more like a thin yogurt.
Buttermilk is usually non-fat or low-fat. According to the California Milk Advisory Board:
Buttermilk is the low-fat portion of milk or cream remaining after it has been churned to make butter. Today, buttermilk is not a byproduct of butter-making, but is made from nonfat or low-fat milk that is “cultured” with lactic acid bacteria. Cultured buttermilk is low in fat and calories, but maintains its traditional tangy flavor and creamy texture. (RealCaliforniaMilk.com)
In the course of dieting, I have rediscovered non-fat buttermilk. I have found a gorgeously thick and smooth brand and buy it like crazy. Although this brand is quite expensive, it is great in smoothies. It is local though so branding is not important.
But, my husband, and I dislike fat free salad dressing. Sometimes we just use a few drops of oil and some balsamic, or even organic olive oil spray and balsamic. The commercial dressings have a lot of gums or carageenan. We find it makes a rather slithery texture.
Then one day, on Pinterest, I saw that you could use non-fat buttermilk with ranch dressing mix. But, I would rather make it myself than use a mix, so I looked up the recipe for the original Ranch Dressing in Joy of Cooking and came up with a variation.
Garlic:
First, I don't like to eat raw garlic, but I like the taste, so I smash (but don't separate it) a clove of garlic and put it in the buttermilk in the afternoon. When I make the dressing I take it out. Sometimes I will flavor the pint this way -- it's easy to tell the difference. I find this gives me the flavor without the all night revisiting of what I ate for dinner.
Sweetness:
I make it differently everyday, But usually I add a touch of something sweet. Depending on how many calories I have left, I might use honey or fat free mayo. It really takes just a little bit.
Acid:
Then, I thought it was strange, because buttermilk is naturally tangy, but the original recipe in Joy of Cooking called for lime juice. Well, I don't always have a lime so I use whatever acid will work that day. Sometimes it's an herbal vinegar or cider vinegar, sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar. I haven't used balsamic or red wine vinegar as I think the color would be unappetizing. Sometimes it's lemon or lime juice and once, and it was delicious on a chicken salad, some fresh orange juice. If I used OJ, I wouldn't add anything else that was sweet. I find the amount varies and it's a matter of taste. I use less vinegar and more of a fruit juice to get the flavor I am looking for.
Then dried or fresh herbs go in. Almost always parsley, sometimes cilantro, and sometimes basil, often some chives. I add Salt and pepper to taste. If I am feeling ambitious I will puree it and fresh herbs makes it all a lovely green.
I think Salsa would make a great dressing mixed with the buttermilk too. It isn't as thick as a commercial ranch dressing but you could also add Greek or Icelandic yogurt for a thicker dressing. It is wonderful for coleslaw.
And, if you choose your brand right, it contains no fat. Salad is wonderful and filling but slathered with a fatty or oil dressing it gets a higher calorie profile than you might expect, which kind of undoes the diet profile.
What else do you use buttermilk for? Have you ever made an icy treat with it?
I have been thinking of using it pureed with fruit and frozen in my ice cream maker. I have also toyed with the idea of using it for a creamy pasta sauce.
And, why didn't I ever think of this before?
I have been thinking of using it pureed with fruit and frozen in my ice cream maker. I have also toyed with the idea of using it for a creamy pasta sauce.
And, why didn't I ever think of this before?
