Blue Cheese Dressing

I recently received a copy of America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, and it's a terrific book. There are plenty of photographs, which is a big plus in my book, but it's the sheer number of handy recipes--over 1200--that makes the spiral-bound tome so worth owning. In flipping through the book, there are a bunch of recipes that stood out to me, but one in particular caught my eye: blue cheese dressing, mostly because I had some great blue cheese on hand, and some buttermilk I had to use up. This recipe turned out to be extremely delicious, and thankfully quick and easy to prepare. You won't even need to break out the blender or food processor. Okay, onto the recipe.



You'll need 1/3 lb. blue cheese, crumbled. The recipe recommends a mild blue like Stella or Danish--I think this was a Danish blue, but a very, very strong one, so I used just a tad less than the recipe recommended. Gorgonzola would be a suitable substitute in this recipe, but just make sure that whatever cheese you use, it's one that has a strong flavor with some serious depth to it, because this recipe is one that really sings with a good blue cheese.



Start out by pouring 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp buttermilk into a large mixing bowl.



These garlic pics are shamelessly stolen from the Souvlaki post. You'll only need a lone clove for this dressing. You can use the other against any approaching vampires.



Peel your clove. If it's not peeling easily, you can crack it against your counter and it should peel off easily then.



Mincing garlic is a good thing, mincing words usually not.



Add your fromage bleu to the buttermilk, along with the garlic.



Mash everything up with a fork.



Add 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sour cream. We got this great Cascade Farms sour cream that's the best, freshest sour cream I've ever had, so if you can find that, I recommend it.



Then, add 6 tbsp mayo. We like Best Foods light mayo--Best Foods is the same as Hellman's, it's just called Best Foods west of the Rockies.



You'll also need 2 tbsp white vinegar.



And, finally, 1/2 tsp each of salt and freshly ground black pepper.



Mix it all up, and it's ready! According to the recipe, this will last for 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge.



I think Boston Bibb lettuce holds up nicely against the dressing.



Spoon your desired amount of dressing onto the salad, and enjoy! This is also great as a dip for carrots, celery, chicken fingers or chicken wings.



Thanks for stopping by Beach City Cooking, and I'll see you all tomorrow for another edition of Windy City Cooking. Have a great night, and stay cool!