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Written by Holly Bea for NEXTnc
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Thursday, 21 June 2007 |
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Quick! What's your favorite salad dressing?
Whether it’s Dijon Vinaigrette, Buttermilk, Blue Cheese or Zesty Italian, the reality is you can probably make it fresh at home faster than you can find it on the salad dressing aisle in your grocery store. I know it sounds hard to believe, but once you make your own salad dressing for the first time, I’m betting you’ll never go back to store-bought again.
The hardest thing about making homemade vinaigrette is spelling it. And the secret to making any great vinaigrette is the quality of ingredients. Invest in a good quality olive oil and vinegars, and you’re sure to succeed.
Three parts oil, one part acid. It sounds harder than it is. For any basic vinaigrette, start with three parts olive oil to one part vinegar. And don’t be afraid to experiment with flavored vinegars. I keep a variety on hand, including Champagne vinegar, red and white wine vinegar, cider vinegar and tarragon vinegar. Once you’ve tried making a specific vinaigrette with a recipe, you’ll see how easy it is to experiment by adding chopped shallots, scallions or garlic, or fresh herbs like basil, parsley, thyme, chives and mint. For sweetness, don’t be afraid to add a little honey or sugar. But now for some great starter recipes that take 5-10 minutes or less to make!
Enjoy these simple recipes!
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Super Simple Dijon Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Whisk sherry vinegar with the shallot and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. While pouring olive oil in a thin, steady stream, continue to whisk until dressing is emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. How easy is that?
Variations: Add 1/4 teaspoon chopped thyme and 1/2 teaspoon chopped tarragon for an herb vinaigrette. For a lemon vinaigrette, substitute 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice for the vinegar and add 1/4 teaspoon of grated lemon zest.
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White Wine Vinaigrette
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Whisk together wine, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Slowly add oil in a steady stream. Perfect over a green salad, broiled seafood, sliced roast chicken or steamed vegetables.
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Blue Cheese Vinaigrette
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
Whisk together first seven ingredients. Stir in cheese. Can be drizzled over roasted potatoes, asparagus, or a mixed green salad. Perfect complement when serving steak — and don’t forget the red wine!
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5-Minute Homemade Buttermilk Dressing
1 small garlic clove, smashed or use minced garlic you can buy in a jar
3 tablespoon sour cream
3 tablespoon mayonnaise (full fat)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup buttermilk
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Sprinkle garlic with a pinch of salt and mash into a paste. Whisk together garlic, sour cream, mayonnaise and vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in buttermilk and season with pepper. This is so yummy on a salad of mixed greens with sliced hard boiled eggs and avocado.
Variation: Add 2 ounces of crumbled feta cheese and 1 tablespoon of chopped dill for Tzatziki dressing.
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TERMINOLOGY
Emulsify: Combining two liquids together that don’t mix together easily. The liquids are combined very slowly, while beating vigorously.
Lemon Zest: Zest is the outer colored portion of the citrus peel. You can use a grater or even a lemon zester.
Whisk: To whip or beat quickly, usually using a wire kitchen tool.
“Smashed” Garlic: Peel the papery covering off a garlic clove, then “smash” the clove with the flat side of a cleaver or large knife. Can also be achieved by using a pestle.
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Serving Homemade Dressings
When entertaining, you can either toss your salad with homemade dressing prior to serving the salad, or you can let people add their own dressing. Just make sure you serve your dressing in something nice. Use a crystal or glass bowl or a NICE salad cruet. Homemade dressing gives you bragging rights! Everyone will be impressed that you made it yourself. | Only registered users can write comments.
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