Dressings and dips
Kefir Black Pepper Dressing
Coarsely ground black pepper leaves little bursts of heat through this simple dressing. Whisk kefir with lemon and olive oil, then taste it on a lettuce leaf so you know how it will work on the salad.
Make it
Method
- Whisk the kefir, salt, and flavor ingredients until evenly combined.
- Rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the flavors settle.
- Taste and adjust salt or acidity. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days.
Coarse pepper, small batch
Start with half the pepper if you prefer mild heat, then add the rest after tasting on a leaf. Fine pepper gives a more evenly peppery sauce, without the small bursts from coarse grains.
Keep the unused portion cold
Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or below; use within three days or an earlier ingredient limit. Pour out a serving rather than dipping used utensils into the storage container.
Choose the kefir thickness
Use drinkable milk kefir for a dressing and strained milk kefir for a dip. That change works better than trying to thicken a thin sauce with extra seasoning.
Adjust the consistency
Stir before changing anything. For a thicker coating, fold in a spoonful of strained kefir; for a thinner sauce, add plain kefir a teaspoon at a time. Stop when it coats the food the way you like.