LOWER-FAT RANCH DRESSING: budget friendly with ultra frugal option, uses up sour milk

                      Start 48 hours in advance 

Another delicious salad dressing from across the pond, this one creamy and herby...

Small salad platter: the star offering is American-style Ranch Dressing over lettuce leaves; the dressing's been tweaked to reduce fat 

It's interesting how salad dressings differ between Europe and North America.   Europeans - including the UK - go for emulsified oil & vinegar blends which are poured while American dressings tend to be creamy, thick and often scoopable. 

67goingon50 likes both but American dressings can do double duty.  They can be  dolloped over salad leaves or used as a dipping sauce for breaded, deep fried protein.  They tend however, to be mayonnaise based and for slimmers/the health conscious need to be adjusted to reduce fat.  

American ranch dressing is usually based on mayonnaise, buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs and spices.  UK Buttermilk is usually lower in fat than American buttermilk but 67 also replaces some mayo with 0-fat thick yoghurt.  

In these straitened times,  iceberg lettuce is the most frugal choice of leaves to dip in or be dribbled with Ranch Dressing; Iceberg is  the cheapest in the supermarket.  

Some turn their noses up at Iceberg lettuce.  And yes, it is full of water but nothing matches its crisp, refreshing quality.  Sliced or cut into wedges, draped with creamy, tasty, eye-catching dressings (see Thousand Island Dressing) it is really delicious.  And it looks good on a plate.  

Other suitable leaves for Ranch Dressing are Baby Gems and Romaine.  

Cost: less than £1

Makes: generous 1 cup dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup/125ml thick 0-fat yoghurt

1/2 cup buttermilk (ultra frugal: milk 'on the turn' or conventiontal milk with 1/2 tsp vinegar added)

2-3 tbsp good mayonnaise

2 small cloves fresh garlic, grated OR I/2 tsp garlic flakes, OR 1/8 tsp garlic powder  

3/4 - 1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 generous tbsp fresh OR 1.3 tsp dried dill

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives OR 1 tbsp dried chives

2 tsp fresh lemon juice (OR if needs must, bottled lemon juice)

few dashes tabasco or other hot sauce (optional & Be Careful!)

few generous tablespoons finely grated parmesan (optional but adds a delicious accent) 

Method:

1. Place all ingredients except parmesan, if using, in a medium bowl; hand whisk or pulse in blender until completely mixed
2. Refrigerate a at least 48 hours
3. When ready to serve, stir in parmesan
4. Serve dolloped over wedges or thick slices of Iceberg lettuce OR leaves of Baby Gems or Romaine
5. Leftovers can be used as a dipping sauce

Comments:

'I liked this but it was a little tart; the parmesan calmed it down nicely.  Otherwise it was a lively change - in a good way - from other dressings.'  Retired writer

Tips:

• Make your own buttermilk by using milk that's gone off or add lemon juice or vinegar to milk
• Leftover buttermilk can be frozen and defrosted for ultra-fluffy buttermilk pancakes, egg-free buttermilk chive biscuits/scones or Beatty's fabulous chocolate cake 
• fresh herbs give best flavour but dried are cheaper and still add piquancy

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.