What is Light Ranch Dressing?
Light ranch dressing is a lower fat version of traditional ranch dressing. This version is creamy, light and off white in color with flecks of herbs. The flavor is salty, tangy and very umami with a creaminess to the taste. Light ranch is used in salads and as a dip for many food items.
What does Light Ranch Dressing Taste Like?
Sour is one of the five main tastes. It is tart and bright, sometimes with a mouth-puckering quality. Sour is a naturally occurring flavor found in many foods, including citrus, vinegar, various dairy products, and certain fruits. Sour is used to enhance a dish or drink and is used as both a main and complimentary flavor.
Umami is one of five main tastes. It is savory with a depth of flavor. Umami is a taste in many foods, including meat, seafood, beans, and nuts. It is both naturally occurring and created through the specific use of ingredients to create a satisfying taste. Umami is characteristic of proteins and savory dishes.
Ingredients
Buttermilk was traditionally made by fermenting the liquid left over from churning butter, but today is fermented low-fat milk. It has a rich, creamy texture and a sharp, tangy taste. Buttermilk is often used in baking cakes and quick breads, or in pancakes.
Greek yogurt is a dairy product made from milk fermented with healthy bacteria to thicken it into the product we know. With Greek yogurt and extra step is taken to strain all excess whey, creating a richer and creamier product. Greek yogurt is off white, or white in color and has a gentle tangy and milky flavor. The texture is thick and creamy without tasting very fatty. Greek yogurt can be eaten plain or incorporated as an ingredient into a dish.
Light mayonnaise is a reduced fat mayo. Mayonnaise is made using oil, eggs and vinegar. In reduced fat mayonnaise, cornstarch and water replace the majority of the oil. The flavor is mild and tangy with a creamy quality, this creamy quality extends to the smooth and spreadable texture. The color of light mayo is off white, or cream. The flavor is not as rich as full fat mayonnaise, but still makes a good condiment for sandwiches and cold meat salads.
Lemon juice is made from the flesh of the pulpy yellow lemon fruit. The juice is squeezed from the flesh of the lemon and is a pale yellow color. The flavor is very sour and bright. Lemon juice is used in multiple cuisines around the world to brighten and enhance the flavors of the other ingredients. Lemon juice is used to make lemonade and goes well on fish. It has many uses.
Parsley is an aromatic herb with slender green stalks and sturdy, small green leaves. There are two common types of parsley, curly parsley and Italian flat leaf parsley. Italian parsley has a more robust flavor than curly parsley. Though each type tastes green, spicy and vegetal, with a hint of bitterness. Parsley is used as and herb to flavor dishes and as a garnish.
Fresh dill is a a fringed green herb, with slender stalks. The fringe of the dill is dried using mild heat or air, and is gently ground into tiny, short, thread-width pieces. The color is a muted green when dried and has delicate flavor of fennel and anise with a hint of bitterness. Dried dill is commonly used in egg dishes, savory herbed baked goods and with fish.
Chives are an herb in the onion family and are comprised of skinny green and hollow stalks, about one foot tall. They grow in clusters and have a slight crunch, yet are tender. Their flavor is like a very delicate onion and somewhat green. Chives are at their most flavorful when used fresh, though can be used dried. When dried the are often chopped into thin rings and used to garnish a dish and add flavor.
Onion powder is made from the bulb vegetable, onion. Onions are round with a thin, papery skin covering their many layers of juicy and crunchy flesh. This flesh, which is white, yellow or red is made by taking dehydrated onion pieces and then grinding them into an extremely fine powder. The powder is a pale golden/tan color. Onion powder has a flavor that is milder than fresh onions, but highly flavorful in a richer and more concentrated way. It tastes both sweet and mellow, with a spicy edge. Onion powder is used as a seasoning for savory dishes.
Garlic powder is made from dehydrated garlic cloves that have been ground into a super fine powder. This powder is a pale yellow/golden color and is used to flavor foods. It works well in a pinch and can be used in many of the same ways that fresh garlic is used. The flavor is milder than raw or cooked garlic and is spicy, pungent and nutty. Garlic granules are another form of dehydrated garlic, but rather than powder it is coarser and has the same function. It is often used on top of fresh pizza, as a light dusting.
The peppercorn plant grows in tropical climate and produces tiny black fruit. The fruit is dried and become hard. At this point it is ground into a textured powder comprised of black and grey dots. It has a flavor that is spicy, pungent and sharp. Pepper is an extremely popular spice, especially in Western cuisines and lends a gentle heat to dishes. There are different varieties of black pepper and the flavor changes subtly because of this.
