DIY SALAD DRESSINGS-PLAIN to FANCY
We know choosing lettuce or greens for salads with taste and texture which compliments the other ingredients is important, (see post of Apr. 28, 2022) but equally important is the way the salad is dressed. The dressing is the element which brings the salad together and defines the final flavor. It gives the salad its zing! Interestingly, the development of salad dressings mirrors the path of America’s culinary evolution.
Salads are probably the food category which has steadily increased in popularity and importance over the past century. Tossing a side salad at table became a very ‘in’ thing during the 1920s and by the 1930s Composed salads appeared as entrees. Groundbreakers were the Cobb, Waldorf, Chef’s and Caesar, which is still a headliner today. By the 1940s, salads were normal components of dinner and in the 1950s, gained attention as ‘healthy’ and/or slimming foods. To this point there were a selection of standard dressings in markets, French, Russian, Italian and a few specialty flavors like Catalina, and Roquefort. In the 1960s new favors like Ranch and Green Goddess were added.
However, as the healthy eating trend, grew the concept of ‘Lite’ or low-cal foods was born and really affected salad dressings. By the 1970s there were ‘Lite’ versions of all dressings available and by the 1980s low-sodium versions as well as exotic flavors such as Poppy Seed and Asian Sesame. Our culinary curiosity had been aroused, especially in an Eastern direction. In the 1990s interest shifted to the ingredients, rather than the finished product and in making/creating foods from scratch as cooking skills became trendy.
Although there’s a vast array of commercial salad dressings now in markets, interestingly the variety is rivaled by the ever increasing number of vinegars and oils available, with more from new sources and with new flavorings added constantly.
Moreover, nowadays, most salad recipes come with dressing directions for that specific dish, leading to the idea of tailoring a salad to fit an entrée, or an individual’s taste simply by personalizing the dressing. It’s a cool way for a cook to keep a family’s interest, score compliments and be remembered, with a basic knowledge of oils and vinegars. These two are the foundation of most salad dressings and often the right combination is sufficient alone. This is called vinaigrette. To learn about oils and vinegars and how to create your own flavors, see last week’s post, May 12, 2022. The only exception is the substitution of an acidic liquid such as lemon juice for the vinegar. To read my original post on this subject click July, 29, 2015.
As a result, vinaigrettes are pretty much a free-form category of salad dressings, but there are a few tips on working with them.
1) To get a creamy appearance blend, adding a cracked ice cube as you do. No more than 1 cube per cup of dressing.
2) To simply smooth, shake dressing in a jar with ice until chilled, then discard ice
3) To prevent separating (emulsifying): stir or shake in 1 Tbs. molasses. It doesn’t alter taste. Small amounts of powdered mustard, paprika or ground nuts also work, but they may tinge the flavor.
4) For a quick fix, use powdered garlic (NOT garlic salt) and dried herbs, but allow at least 1 hr. for flavors to emerge and meld.
Vinaigrettes
Basic Vinaigrette
The fundamental ratio is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, with salt and pepper to taste. Dissolve seasonings in vinegar. If making in a jar, add the oil in 3 parts, shaking between. If using a blender or a bowl add oil in a thin stream with machine running or constantly stirring.
A Simple Dressing With Many Uses: All recipes yield about ¾ cup
Double basic proportions of oil and vinegar*
1 small shallot or 1/3 a small onion – minced
½ garlic clove- minced
½ tsp. each salt, pepper and Dijon mustard
OPTIONAL 1-2 tsp. dried herbs of choice-for example an Italian blend
Prepare dressing as directed above.
*Infused oil and/or vinegar will affect flavor as will using different types of vinegar.
• To infuse oil or vinegar steep herb fronds, pieces of spices, like ginger, or small vegetables such as garlic cloves or peppers in the liquid until the desired flavor is achieved
• For Tomato Italian vinaigrette use red wine vinegar, substitute 2Tbs.tomato puree for the mustard and add 2 tsp . dried basil or 1 Tbs. chopped fresh
• For Balsamic vinaigrette increase the vinegar by 1 Tbs. and replace mustard with lemon
• For Citrus vinaigrette replace the vinegar with ¼ cup fresh lemon or lime juice and add 1 tsp. of the fruit’s zest.
• For Greek vinaigrette make the Citrus dressing with lemon adding ¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese and 3 Tbs. each chopped mint and kalamata olives. Shake well.
• For French dressing replace ½ the vinegar with lemon juice and add 1/8th tsp. paprika—the paprika will emulsify the dressing. Recommend smoothing with ice.
• For using up Leftovers for each Tbs. of mayonnaise or mustard left in a jar add ¼ cup EACH oil and wine vinegar, or lemon juice, ½ garlic clove-minced-and 1 tsp. dried mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
• For Creamy vinaigrette: Use white wine or cider vinegar. After adding oil mix in 1-2 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs then ¼ cup heavy cream. Store chilled.
• For Low-Fat vinaigrette replace 1/3 oil with juice, broth, fruit or vegetable puree or tea which lowers the acidity of the vinegar. Reducing the oil content further thins the liquid too much, requiring the addition of gelatin or cornstarch to make the dressing coat.
Basic Low-Fat Vinaigrette
¼ cup EACH vinegar and broth or juice
2 Tbs. oil
½ tsp. EACH honey, salt and pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine ingredients in a jar and shake well until blended
Other Easy DIY Dressings All yield about ¾ cup
French Roquefort Dressing:
¼ cup crumbled Roquefort, Bleu, Gorgonzola or Stilton cheese
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice—1 Tbs. in reserved depending on taste preference.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Mash, whip, shake and/or blend the ingredients, until the cheese is dissolved in the liquid. Store chilled and shake well before using. This is best over a softer lettuce such as Bibb, or red or green leaf.
Asian Peanut Dressing:
3 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. EACH soy sauce and chopped ginger or 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
½ tsp. chopped garlic or ¼ tsp. garlic powder
Pinch EACH ground cumin and coriander
¼ small onion chopped
1 Tbs. EACH creamy peanut butter and oil
¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce –optional
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake until well combined
Yogurt-Fruit Dressing:
½ cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup blended fresh fruit of choice
1 Tbs. lemon or lime juice-depending on fruit used
1 tsp. EACH honey and Dijon mustard
Puree all ingredients until smooth. Store chilled
Raspberry-Wine Dressing :
1 cup fresh or dry pack frozen raspberries
1/3 cup Merlot
1/3 cup oil
1 sliced shallot
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs. sour cream—optional
Puree all ingredients until smooth. Store chilled.
Creamy Dressings Each yields about 11/2 cups
Basic Low-Fat Dressing Recipe
To make these dressings low-fat, use low-fat ingredients. To lower fat content further replace1/2 mayonnaise with ½ avocado pureed.
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2Tbs. white wine vinegar
1tsp. EACH Worcestershire Sauce and Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. cracked pepper
Whisk or blend all ingredients. Store chilled.
VARIATIONS
• For Ranch Dressing substitute cider vinegar. Add ½ cup shredded carrots, 1Tbs. chopped parsley,1/2 tsp. EACH sugar, celery flakes and celery seeds and onion powder.
• For Green Goddess Add ½ clove garlic crushed and 3 Tbs. EACH chopped scallions and parsley
• For Russian add 1/3 cup chili sauce, 2 Tbs. EACH chopped pimento OR pepper, and celery and another tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• For Creamy Italian add 1 tsp. roasted garlic, 2 Tbs. minced onion,1/2 tsp. EACH dried oregano and basil, or ¼ cup of EACH chopped fresh. Shake or whisk well.
These are just the basic dressing recipes, but there are enough variations included to give you a springboard to finding ways to individualizing them or moving on to create your own. Have fun and Happy Salad Days ahead. Any questions—just contact me and please join us next week.
