Tender herbs can be tough.

Basil and cilantro and parsley, especially—whether from my CSA or from the grocery store—seem to arrive in bunches so generous that it’s rare I can use them up before they turn yellow and limp (or black and slimy).

A pesto batch makes a quick dispatch of the basil. And a palmful of chopped parsley can be a late add-in to ‘most every savory dish, so even if I end up tossing some before the week is out, the multiple uses assuage any waste-guilt. But what to do with bulk cilantro, which has now been in our sharebox three times already this summer?

After a few rounds of experiments, I’ve settled on the versatile combo below. Left thick, it’s a great crudite or chip dip; thinned with a bit more oil, it’s a terrific sauce for chicken or fish (or a binder for a cucumber-tomato-corn, chicken, or potato salad); and made pourable with a little water, it’s a brilliant, cooling salad dressing.

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing

• 1 clove garlic (or most of a garlic scape), roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup cilantro leaves (stripped from their stems as much as possible)
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage 2%)
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• juice of 1 small lime
• 1 tsp honey
• about 1/4 cup olive oil
• pinch salt
• 2 pinches ground pepper

Add everything except the olive oil and salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor or blender; process until smooth.

With the machine running, stream in the oil until you get the dip or sauce consistency you want. If you want pourable dressing, stream in a few tablespoons of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.