Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes 

Yield: 4 servings 

Ingredients 

For the Homemade Buttermilk:

½ cup Zeal Creamery Whole Milk

1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice

For the Dressing:

⅓ cup mayonnaise¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon) 

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon (1 clove) garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Tomato Salad:

6 ounces Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated

16 ounces heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

1 teaspoon Flake salt

6 ounces (about 6 slices) bacon, cooked & crumbled into large pieces

4 large eggs, hardboiled and quartered 

1 ½ cups croutons

2 Tablespoons basil, roughly chopped

1 Tablespoon chives, snipped 

Method

  1. Make the buttermilk: To a 1 cup measurer add the milk and lemon juice. Whisk to combine. 

  2. Place in the refrigerator and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes. The milk should slightly curdle, giving it a buttermilk-like texture and taste.

  3. Make the dressing: To a mason jar add buttermilk, and all ingredients for the dressing. Secure with lid and shake vigorously to combine. Place back in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

  4. Arrange lettuce on a platter and top with tomatoes, followed by the flake salt. Top with bacon, eggs, croutons, basil, and chives. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to combine. 

Notes 

For the Hard Boiled Eggs: 

  1. Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover the pot and turn the heat off. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 minutes. 

  2. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and let chill for 14 minutes before peeling and slicing. 

For the Bacon: 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil, then evenly space the bacon side-by-side on the sheet. 

  2. Cook the bacon for 18-20 minutes or until it reaches desired level of doneness. Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate. Once cool, crumble the pieces. 

Mickayla Wawrousek