Kris’ Blue Cheese Dressing

 

As mentioned in the blog, this recipe varies depending on our tastes and what’s on hand.  I like to make it so it has a tang you can identify (but not so much that it’s overpowering), a good hint of garlic and a lot of blue cheese flavor.

 

Ingredients:

 

Crumbled blue cheese

Garlic

Lemon juice (optional)

Worcestershire sauce (optional, but a really nice addition)

Hot sauce (optional)

Sour cream

Mayonnaise

Italian parsley (optional)

Salt

Pepper (black or white)

Vinegar (white wine, red wine, plain white distilled, or balsamic…use to suit your tastes)

 

 

 

I start with a bunch of blue cheese in the bottom of a bowl.  Then I add a couple of cloves of garlic to start, good sized ones.  If we’ve got any, I’ll add a bit of lemon juice, but not too much since it can end up overwhelming the dressing…start with a small amount and adjust later.  I like to add some Worcestershire sauce, and some hot sauce.  Definitely use more Worcestershire than hot sauce, and start by adding both of those things a few drops at a time.  It’s good to wait until after you’ve got the base mixed in before you add more.  I then mix all of that together to get the flavors melding.

 

Next comes the base of the dressing.  In the same bowl add some sour cream to get the mixture creamier, but make sure it’s still thick since there’s mayo to add.  To tone down the tart flavor of the sour cream, add a bit of mayonnaise at a time and mix it in until you the sour cream flavor has mellowed and you like the taste.  Always taste as you go!

 

The last part of the recipe involves the seasonings.  If we’ve got some Italian parsley on hand (the flat leafed kind) I’ll add a bit of that, but not too much since I find parsley can become overpowering.  I’ll grind up a bit of salt and some pepper (I’ll use black or white or both depending on how I feel).  Once that is mixed in, I’ll start adding some vinegars.  White wine vinegar is good because it keeps the dressing closer to looking white.  Plain white vinegar has a nice potent tang, so we’ll use that sometimes since it adds a lot of flavor without a lot of liquid.  Adding the Worcestershire can make it look more light beige than white, but I think the flavor is worth it.  I also like some red wine vinegar and occasionally a splash of balsamic if I’ve gone overboard on the lemon or another vinegar.  Since balsamic vinegar has some sugar in it, it helps to balance the flavors if you need to tweak them.  You can also add a bit of white sugar, if you need some sweet flavor, and don’t want to thin the dressing.  I’ll keep adding vinegar until my taste buds are satisfied with the tang level, or until it gets to the right consistency.

We’ll use this recipe as a dressing for salads, but also for dip for chicken wings, veggies, and dressing on poboys, etc.  Unless I’m just making a small amount for salad, I’ll keep the dressing more of a dip like, thick consistency, and then just thin it out with some cream, milk or vinegar if we need it thinner to pour on a salad.  If your dressing ever becomes too thin, you can always add some more sour cream, mayo or blue cheese to get it thick again.  You might have to adjust the seasonings once you do.

 

Let me know if you have any questions and get ready to

 

Say yum!