Since we have taken the time to clarify buttermilk the next step for us was to see what buttermilk bases we could make clear. Our horseradish-buttermilk consomme is a derivation of horseradish sour cream which I enjoy smeared on prime rib. That sauce application sparked the idea of clear dressings. We started earlier this week with ranch dressing. Our ranch base contained ranch seasonings, buttermilk and water. After we balanced the ranch flavor as a broth we set about clarifying it.
The results are in. Clear ranch is well worth the effort. While it may not have that creamy and clinging dairy
mouth feel, the clear ranch is just that. In fact, clear ranch does have a decadent mouth feel. A spoonful of the consomme brings back flashes of taste memories, from crudite dips to chicken salad dressed with ranch. And still the broth is not overly ranchy. It merely captures ranch without clouding the concept.
And while we are talking about clear dressings the other big three may be coming soon: Thousand Island, Russian and Green Goddess. I did not forget blue cheese, it is just that we made Roquefort water last year and its flavor is on par with the great blue cheese dressings I have eaten. Of course, we could try and make a clear version of the Student Prince's signature blue cheese dressing, Russian dressing with Roquefort crumbled in table side.
