Ingredient Elimination: Curried Buttermilk Dressing for Tomatoes

Our current contender for Ingredient Elimination is buttermilk. I had plenty of buttermilk from the quart I purchased to make corn bread, but little inspiration with what to do with it. The label admonishes, "tastes best if used in 3 days".  With the clock ticking, I again consulted Moosewood New Classics for a solution to the abundance of buttermilk (it really wasn't as dramatic as I write it to be).

                                  The contender, weighing in at 32 liquid oz

Since I had a container of fresh cherry tomatoes in the fridge, this dressing, intended for tomatoes, seemed like a good fit.

Curried Buttermilk Dressing (makes 1 C)

• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1/4 C plain yogurt (I used Greek)
• 1 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 Tbs cider vinegar
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• salt
• pepper

1. Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Drizzle over tomato wedges or as a dip for cherry tomatoes.  

 The camera doesn't capture it, but the turmeric gives the dressing a lovely color


Kitchen Notes: The original recipe calls for yogurt or mayo. Since I had yogurt, and I am not partial to mayo, the yogurt won. I'd imagine that mayo may make the flavor a bit milder. If you're using as a dip, some of the buttermilk may need to be replaced with sour cream to make it heavier.

Verdict? With perfectly ripe tomatoes, the flavor contrast with this dressing is pure summer. I'd be less enthusiastic with non-seasonal tomatoes. This isn't to say the dressing is not good, but the tomatoes elevate it. I'm going to season the leftovers with a bit of celery salt. This would be scrumptious with fried green tomatoes. I have a feeling it'll make a good base for a remoulade, so I'll try that and let you know of the results.