My new adventure in cooking with lavender has been successful thus far. I’ve enjoyed rave reviews for my lavender scones, lavender limonata and my lavender biscotti. This creamy- tangy ranch dressing was designed to go with a pasta salad and comes from the book, The Art of Cooking with Lavender, by Nancy Baggett. I chose to use it as a dip for crudites and later to dress a salad of spring greens. The recipe called for garlic salt, which I did not use as I thought it would overpower the lavender. This is a very flavorful dressing, and I will make it again, however, I feel the lavender was too subtle to notice. The flavors mellow and meld during storage, so this dressing is best made ahead.
Ingredients:
- 1-cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon finely crushed or ground dried culinary lavender
- Generous 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- Generous 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- Black pepper, freshly ground, a few grinds
Thoroughly whisk together the mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, chives, lavender, oregano, thyme and black pepper, until well blended and smooth. If desired, whisk in more buttermilk for a thinner pourable consistency for a salad dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30-40 minutes or preferably one hour before serving. Keeps, covered and refrigerated for about a week. Stir well before using. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of dressing or dip.
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