A different kind of Blue Cheese Dressing

If there’s something I’m known for in the galley, it’s for doing things a little differently sometimes. Take Blue Cheese Dressing or the ubiquitous Wedge Salad. Now, there’s NOTHING wrong with a traditional Wedge and I’ll order them just about anytime I see one on the menu. But, a little change is good for the soul.

So, instead of the predictable thick and chunky Blue Cheese Dressing, I decided to lighting things up a bit. How ’bout a silky smooth cloud of Blue Cheese Foam? Trust me, it has all the great flavors of a top-notch Blue Cheese Dressing, but it literally graces the top of your wedge of iceberg or Romaine (as you choose) and flows into the nooks and crannies between the leaves.

The one special equipment you will need is a whipping siphon, also known as a Whipped Cream Dispenser. There are several on the market so they aren’t hard to find, nor will this be the last time you use one. Trust me, once you have started to experiment with flavored foams, you’ll find endless use for this tool.

When you make this recipe for the first time, check your cream after putting it in the canister and charging it with the N20 cartridge. The texture of the Blue Cheese Foam should like what I’m showing you here.

You see how it’s soft, but still holds its form? If the first cartridge doesn’t add enough “fluff,” you can always charge with a second cartridge, shake and chill before testing and dispensing again.

Now, something you should know…this is a “dress and serve immediately” type of salad. You can’t spray the salad with the Foam and then wait to serve it. Have all your ingredients and add-ons ready to go so that once you’ve dressed the salad, you can sprinkle it with bacon, red onions, more blue cheese crumbles, maybe avocado…whatever suits you. Give it a final twist of fresh black pepper and go! It doesn’t get better than it is now…

So, give this a shot and see what you think. I think it’s a fun, lighthearted way to “lighten” up the traditional wedge and your guests will be impressed by the gourmet touch of the foam.

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Blue Cheese Foam

A different take on a Blue Cheese Dressing, this time whipped up in a whipping siphon (whipped cream dispenser) to create a light but flavorful topping for salad, apps, etc

Course: Extras, Salad

Keyword: blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, foams, salad dressing, wedge salad, what to make with a whipping siphon, whipped cream dispenser

Servings: 8 servings

Author: Corinne Gregory Sharpe

Equipment

• whipped cream dispenser (also known as a whipping siphon)
• blender

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum

Instructions

• Put all ingredients except kosher salt and Xanthan Gum in a blender. Process until completely combined and very smooth.
• Strain contents of blender through a fine-meshed sieve to remove any left-over solids.
• Add Kosher salt and Xanthan Gum to strained mixture. Whisk or stir thoroughly to combine.
• Pour the blue cheese mix into the canister of a chilled whipping siphon. Charge with one cream (N20) cartridge. Shake canister a few times and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more, until well chilled.
• Test the foam mixture to see if it has set up sufficiently. It should be soft, but holding its shape. If necessary, you can charge another cartridge and shake/chill before dispensing and serving.

Notes

Buttermilk is one of those ingredients that is challenging to have on hand at all times because generally, you just don’t use the whole container up before it goes bad.  Having a good quality dried buttermilk (like from Bob’s Red Mill) is great because you can make up just what you need when you need it. Once you’ve opened the package, be sure to keep it in an air-tight container to prevent moisture from causing it to clump up. It will last for a long time when stored properly.