Buttermilk—A Fascinating Food!
How about we cut to the chase and start with a recipe? Not long ago I found one on www.allrecipes.com for a mish-mash of stuff that the recipe creator called a “salad.” It’s actually a dessert that’s truly scrumptious.
You’ll note the use of frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip®, for instance). I prefer sweetened whipped cream, so that’s what I used instead. It was a perfect substitution. The recipe also calls for fudge stripe cookies (Keebler®, I’m guessing). But you could certainly use any cookie you have on hand. Lastly, this “salad” reminds me of ambrosia, minus the coconut.
This recipe can also be used to make parfaits. Simply layer the “salad”, extra whipped cream, crushed cookies and repeat. Top parfaits with a hefty dollop of whipped cream and dive in. The recipe creator also said you can turn this into a pie: just pour the filling into a graham cracker or cookie crust and chill before serving. See what you think:
Cookie Salad
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
2 (3.4-ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding
2 cups buttermilk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks drained
2 (11-ounce) cans mandarin oranges drained
1/2 11.5 ounce package fudge-stripe cookies (such as Keebler)
Directions:
Mix pudding mix and buttermilk together in a large bowl; fold in whipped topping. Mix in pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges; cover and chill until ready to serve. Crush cookies and mix in just before serving.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
But since we’re on the topic of “salad,” perhaps another one couldn’t hurt. This is a legitimate salad, from www.pioneerwoman.com. It’s a pasta salad that’s both creamy and herby thanks to a homemade buttermilk dressing. You'll love the mix-ins like grape tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and crispy bacon.
You’ll note the recipe calls for cavatappi pasta. But I’ve use elbow, ditalini, and even fusilli in a pinch, and they’ve all worked well.I’ll close with one more buttermilk thought. Did you know you can make tapioca pudding with it? Oh yes. This is delicious because the buttermilk adds a subtle tangy flavor and creamy texture.
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for pasta water and to taste
1 (12-ounce) package bacon
1 pound cavatappi pasta
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup flat-leafed parsley chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill chopped, plus more for topping
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic grated
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper plus more to taste
1 pint grape tomatoes halved
1 (4-ounce) jar pimientos drained
1 3.8 ounce can sliced black olives drained
4 green onions thinly sliced
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, turning as needed, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. (You may need to cook the bacon in 2 batches, draining the rendered fat from the skillet between batches.) Let the bacon cool to room temperature, then crumble up into bite-sized pieces.
3. Cook the pasta 1 minute longer than package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, parsley, dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, peas, pimentos, olives, green onion, and half of the bacon, tossing until well combined. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Top the salad with the remaining bacon and more dill, and serve.
2. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, turning as needed, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. (You may need to cook the bacon in 2 batches, draining the rendered fat from the skillet between batches.) Let the bacon cool to room temperature, then crumble up into bite-sized pieces.
3. Cook the pasta 1 minute longer than package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, parsley, dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, peas, pimentos, olives, green onion, and half of the bacon, tossing until well combined. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Top the salad with the remaining bacon and more dill, and serve.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
It works well because its distinct flavor (due to its fermentation process), nicely complements the sweetness of the tapioca pudding. It’s so good you might not go back to using regular milk for this dessert! Buttermilk is such a fascinating food; maybe ought to use it more often!
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
