If you like the crisp edges of lasagne, the soaked croutons, the whipped cream that gets icy around the chocolate scoop - you’re in the right place.
Hi team! Feels like we’re getting into the dog days of summer, but that may just be me reaching the end of my school-less rope. Who’s looking forward to September?
This week I’m sharing a salad dressing that makes any veg into a meal — I’m not sure there’s much that’s Greek about it beyond feta and strained yogurt, or much that’s ranchy beyond dill and garlic, but it has a briny brightness that recalls islands I’ve never been to, and full-bodied creaminess that must be American. It’s not so rich that you can’t eat a large pile of anything dressed with it, but it’s also filling enough that such a salad could count as lunch. If you’re one of those people who like to put grilled chicken on everything, this salad wouldn’t fight you.
Greek Ranch Dressing
This dressing is lush and tart, and could be used to dip or toss through anything crunchy and chopped. I’ve used slivered and steamed green beans and corn here — steamed to sweeten the veg without giving up its crunch — but you could use any raw veg/pulse capable of carrying large nubs of feta. Spoon it on top of sliced heirloom tomatoes or cucumbers, chickpeas, or spread it in pitas with all three.
If you’re tossing a salad with a creamy dressing like this one, success comes with adjusting consistency as well as flavor. Once combined with the veg, taste for salt and acid, and consider loosening it with more olive oil or a spoon more yoghurt. Crisp, dry veg may need that extra balm, whereas watery kinds will contribute their own juices to the bowl. Go for a delicately coated, light finish, and eat it right after dressing.
Serves 4-6
For the dressing
5.3 ounces, 150 grams full fat Greek yogurt
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, grated
20 twists black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
6 ounces, 170 grams feta, crumbled
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
For this salad
1 pound Romano or French beans
4 cobs of corn
To make the dressing, combine everything in a bowl large enough to receive your veg.
Slice your beans on the bias, as delicately as you can. If you don’t have it in you, you can skip this entirely, but it can be very satisfying. Slice kernels off the cobs, leaving behind any bits that might stick in teeth.
Steam the beans and corn. I don’t have a steamer so jerry-rigged one by placing a colander in a saucepan of boiling water, closing with a lid. Steam until the beans are sweet but still snappy. This took 5 minutes in my apparatus and will be quicker for those of you using steam-tight steamers.
Allow the beans and corn to cool and steam-dry before stirring them through the dressing. Taste for salt and lemon, adjusting either, and consider consistency — if it’s tight and gloopy give it an extra spoonful of yogurt or swirl of olive oil.
EAT WITH a fork.
I made this dressing. It's delicious. It's delicious with steamed corn:)
Yum! Can’t wait to try this. Thank you for sharing!