Grady Spears' Buttermilk Dressing

Psst, hey, everyone, Chef Neal Brown doesn't know how to make ranch dressing! Short of sending him to the market for a packet of Hidden Valley, here's a recipe for the real deal, straight from Chef Grady Spears, the king of all cowboy cooks, or at least the one who's managed to make a living defining Texas ranch food.

Spears' restaurant, Reata, for those who remember, was one of the premier restaurants in Fort Worth before a tornado blew it away (Ironic, really, except for that it was on the top floor of a downtown office building which is somehow more frightening.) Since then, Reata in its current incarnation has launched other up-and-coming Texas chefs like Tim Love. A few years ago, Spears opened Ft. Worth's Chisholm Club where he created the Chicken-Fried Foie Gras, one of my favorite dishes of all time. So, Neal, here's a "ranch" dressing recipe for you. It's a decadent treat and great with a big ol' wedge of iceberg lettuce and fresh tomatoes. Even better with bacon. And hey, it's pretty good on chicken fingers, too.

Buttermilk Dressing by Chef Grady Spears from A Cowboy in the Kitchen: Recipes from Reata and Texas West of the Pecos (1998 Ten Speed Press).

Yield: 2 Cups

1/3 cup minced red onion
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp roasted garlic or minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend with a whisk. The dressing is better if allowed to sit in the refrigerator for several hours to blend flavors before serving. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will keep for about a week.