A classic of the West Coast, this dressing was created in the 1920s by San Francisco’s Palace Hotel in honor of a play by the same name. With buttermilk standing in for sour cream, my “Southern” version is light, tangy, and chock-full of green herbs. It’s the quintessential spring and summer dressing, and because it’s all about using the freshest herbs—whether dill, chervil, sorrel, or cilantro—I almost never make it the same way twice.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 cup

　　1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

　　1/4 cup your favorite or Homemade Mayonnaise (page 280)

　　1 small Kirby cucumber, peeled and chopped

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

　　2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

　　Juice of 1/2 lime

　　4 or 5 fresh basil or celery leaves

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Place the buttermilk, mayonnaise, cucumber, chives, tarragon, mustard, lime juice, and basil in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, or for up to 1 week.

　　

Sara’s Swaps

Step 2

Think of this dressing as a backdrop for whatever herbs and light greens are in season. Herbs like dill, oregano, marjoram, thyme, and parsley add personality and flavor while spinach adds a pop of green; peppery arugula and watercress add delicate heat; and lemony sorrel is refreshingly tart. To make an even lighter version, substitute plain low-fat yogurt for the mayonnaise.

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.