Vegetables are in high demand in both markets and on dinner tables, due in part to their being appropriate for the season and appealing, and also thanks to the desire of many to return to eating healthy foods after having eaten lots of rich, starchy comfort foods throughout the winter. Besides the more traditional methods of preparing vegetables, such as grilling, roasting, sautéing, or steaming them, an alternative method of preparation is to serve them as crudit’s, served uncooked with a tasty dressing. Fresh, tender salad greens are complemented in an excellent manner by vinaigrettes or other salad dressings. Instead of spending money store-bought versions of salad dressing, however, you should use staples that are readily available in your own kitchen to create your own dressings. In this way, your dressing will be freshly-made, without any preservatives, and you can decide how much or how little you wish to make each time.

Dressings are also easy and simple to prepare. The following are several recipes and tips that you can use to create three basic types of salad dressing.

Vinaigrettes

While the saying that “oil and water do not mix” is a common one, in the case of vinaigrettes, oil and vinegar come together to create the perfect blend of ingredients. They mix to form a temporary emulsion that can be used to flavor and moisten delicate salads and greens.

Basic preparation: First, select a mildly acidic ingredient such as rice vinegar, dry un-oaked white wine, or orange juice. If your preference in tastes runs to the tart and assertive, then you should consider sherry or red wine vinegar. White wine vinegar falls between these two categories in terms of taste.

Oils can be classified as being neutral and having little flavor, such as canola oil or light olive oil, or they can be flavorful, in the case of sesame or hazelnut oils or the more peppery extra-virgin olive oils. If you prefer a more balanced flavor, then you can combine a flavorful oil with a more neutral one. In this way, the flavor of the oil will not overwhelm that of the other ingredients.

In order to counter the acidity of the vinegar, you must use the correct amount of oil. Most vinaigrettes use one part of vinegar for every three parts of oil, although some people use a one-to-one ratio or even a one-to-four ratio, depending on individual tastes.

Next, shape a damp towel into a ring and place a small bowl inside it. This will hold the bowl steady while you whisk its contents. Place the vinegar in the bowl and add a pinch of salt to it. Then, while whisking continuously, add the oil slowly, starting with drops before increasing the rate to a thin stream. This will ensure that the emulsion forms properly.

Variations: You can add ingredients such as mustard, garlic puree, minced shallots, or thick sauces like mayonnaise to the mixture to both stabilize the emulsion and add to its flavor. These extra ingredients should be added to the vinegar before you whisk the oil in. Adding a little mayonnaise to your vinaigrette will give it a gentle smoothness and a slight creamy appearance. Any ground spices that you intend to use should first be toasted and bloomed “light heated” in some hot oil. If you wish to use chopped, fresh herbs, however, you can simply add them just before you serve your dish.

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Classic Vinaigrette made from Oil and Vinegar

The days of shop bought salad dressings have long gone. There was a time when we were delighted to buy our salad dressings off the shelf but with the advent of so many healthy choices available to us we are no longer prepared to settle for anything that could be detrimental to our health and our taste buds. The availability of freshly prepared salad leaves and other healthy additions have made use mindful of keeping a healthy low calorie, low cholesterol diet and most of us are fanatical about choosing the best food products for ourselves
and our families. Food manufacturers, themselves, have capitalized on our endless quest to find the healthiest options available. This is completely evident if you are shopping for a healthy salad dressing and are faced with a confusing amount of choice that really doesn’t mean anything to you. There are so many varieties on display all making amazing claims, many imported from European countries and many more still endorsed by celebrities. All these different dressings expound the virtues of their creation process and use of exotic ingredients. At the end of the day the best salad dressing is the easiest to create. It is simplicity itself. The classic oil and vinaigrette has two basic ingredients and provided you use the best quality oil and vinegar you will find that this type of dressing is the best choice you can make.
Bearing in mind you should use superior quality products to make vinaigrette; two brands of vinegar are recommended as ideal and affordable for this recipe, Masserie di Sant’Eramo and Caroliva Reserve. Both are balsamic vinegars and will cost over $8, anything cheaper will not be of the same standard.

Not only can you use your classic vinaigrette as a dressing for salads, but it can be used to enhance other foods such as artichokes and asparagus, fresh seafood including lobster and scallops, or fresh and steamed vegetables.

To make an oil and vinegar dressing you need to be aware that the ratio of oil to vinegar is three parts oil to one part vinegar. However, you can adjust these proportions to suit your individual taste. You may wish to alter this ratio when using balsamic vinegar as it is quite intense and more oil, say one part vinegar to five parts oil may be preferable. You should also season with salt, pepper. Dijon mustard is another traditional ingredient and one teaspoon per half cup of dressing is the usual amount to create the right balance of flavor. Depending again on your personal preferences you may wish to add other ingredients to flavor the vinaigrette. Fresh herbs such as sage or chive, even root ginger can give your dressing an interesting boost.

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A vinaigrette is a simple sauce that sometimes you get this notion that it is not sauce at all.

To make an excellent vinaigrette, all you need is some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, freshly ground pepper and some sea salt. That’s it. As you can see, it’s very basic.

This simple concoction can do magic not just to salads but also to that plate of roasted chicken, pan-seared steak, grilled fish or wilted greens. It is very simple to prepare. Just remember the magic numbers 3-to-1, which is the proportion of oil to vinegar for classic vinaigrette. Take note that the quality of your ingredients is important, as there are so few ingredients.

Make use of excellent sea salt, the best balsamic vinegar and oil you have available and some freshly ground black pepper. As for the equipment, all you need would be a bowl and a whisk. First, mix the salt and pepper into the vinegar (salt will not dissolve in oil, so mix it in balsamic vinegar first). After the salt and pepper are dissolved in the vinegar, you can then whisk in the oil.

For classic vinaigrette, you can use olive oil with red wine vinegar. If you want something more different, you actually have a lot of possibilities. With a few adjustments in the key ingredients, you can make variations of the standard vinaigrette. Here are some you can try:

Mustard and Honey Vinaigrette: Instead of red wine vinegar, use white wine or white balsamic vinegar. Add a tablespoon each of Dijon or stone-ground mustard and honey before whisking in the olive oil. This works great for salmon or a grilled steak.

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This recipe comes from the Mercury news

posted Aug 9. 2006

A fig balsamic vinegar for Warm chicken and spinach salad peccadillo with raisins and olives Serves 4

Making the fig balsamic vinegar:
1/2 pound dried black figs
2 cups water
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 1/4 Cups aged balsamic vinegar, or more as needed
1 orange, quartered (leave the peel on)
1/4 cup raw honey

For the chicken:
2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 to 6 ounces each)

For the salad:
1/2 cup fig balsamic vinegar (may substitute 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon honey)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch spinach, stemmed
1 cup large green olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup seedless raisins or dried currants
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, roasted and coarsely chopped, optional (see Note)

Fig balsamic vinegar: In large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium to medium-low heat, place figs, water and vanilla bean. When bubbles just begin to break the surface, reduce heat to low and cook about 1 hour, until mixture becomes syrupy. Add the balsamic vinegar, orange and honey and increase heat to medium to medium-high. When mixture just starts to boil, turn off heat and let stand. When cool, pour into a large glass bowl, cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 days.
Strain mixture through colander into stainless steel or glass container, discarding orange pieces and vanilla bean and reserving figs, if desired, for other uses. If liquid seems sweet, add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

For the chicken: In re-sealable plastic food storage bag, combine 2 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, salt and chicken. Press out as much air as possible, seal bag and knead gently to coat chicken. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
To cook the chicken, preheat gas grill to medium or prepare charcoal grill for direct-heat cooking. Oil grate. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. (Alternatively, cook chicken in skillet.) Set aside.

For the salad: In small bowl, combine 1/2 cup fig balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine spinach, olives, raisins or currants, onion, tomatoes and roasted red bell pepper, if desired, and mix. Cut chicken into thin strips or chunks and add to salad along with any accumulated cooking juices. Add dressing and toss to coat lightly. Serve immediately.
Note: To roast pepper, char it over flame of gas cooktop or under broiler. Let pepper blister and char on one side, then rotate it until most of skin is charred. Place charred pepper in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit 15 minutes. Remove and discard charred skin, stem and seeds.

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If you are looking for excellent and healthy side dish to your main dish, stop right here. The following is a recipe for a flavorful and filling side dish:

Sauté Greens and Roasted Beets

Serving size: Four

Ingredients
Five to Six (One bunch) medium colored red, orange, and gold beets with tops
Four Garlic Cloves
Four thyme or lemon sprigs
One Tbsp Olive Oil
One Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar (to taste)
Olive oil (to sprinkle)
Pepper and Salt (to taste)

Directions
Before Cooking Preparation
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Trim beets at both ends
Soak greens in a bowl of cold water until clean of any dirt (change water often until clean)
Scrub beets clean of dirt
Separate beets according to color

Cooking
Make four one foot foil sheets. Stack two sheets atop of one another creating a packet. In one packet place the red beets, place the gold and orange beets in the other. To each packet add two sprigs of thyme or lemon and two garlic cloves, then sprinkle each with pepper, salt, and oil. Encase the beets by folding the sides of the foil around the beets.

Place your packets onto a baking sheet (rimmed).

Place the baking sheet into the oven and roast for one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes. Test the beets for tenderness by using a skewer, set aside for five minutes.

Using a large skillet, heat one tbsp of olive oil until hot. Then add your wet beet greens into the skillet. Use caution, as they may splatter the olive oil. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, then tossing constantly, cook for one to two minutes. Greens should be a bright colored green.

Add red wine vinegar to your green, tossing once more.

Slice the cooked beets thin and arrange them nicely onto plates. Use tongs and take the greens out of the pan (be sure leave liquid in the skillet) and add the greens to every plate. Sprinkle salt on each to taste.

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Marinated Cucumber Salad

The following recipe is for a terrific and healthy combination of marinated tomato with cucumber salad. Preparation time is fifteen minutes. Marinating time is at least four full hours. Serves up to eight servings.

Half cup vinegar (white-wine variety)
Three Tbsp sugar
One Tbsp Olive Oil
One Tsp Basil (dried)
Fourth Tsp Salt
Eighth Tsp Pepper
Two cups chopped tomatoes (equals three to four medium tomatoes)
Two cups chopped cucumber (Two large cucumbers)
Half cup finely chopped purple onion

Using a small jar, make the salad dressing. Combine the sugar, olive oil, vinegar, basil, pepper, and salt together. Cover the jar with lid and shake thoroughly. Set aside for later use.

Using a medium size bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, with juice, with chopped cucumbers and chopped onion.

Drizzle the dressing you created over the cucumber, tomatoes, and onion and toss until well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap tightly and place in the refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 4 to 24 hours prior to serving. This mixture can be kept covered and refrigerated for a maximum of three days.
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Healthy Vinegar in your cooking. Looking for something healthy and versatile? Add Vinegar to your diet. Vinegar is something that should be found in every single household. Vinegar is one of the oldest and most versatile staple there is in the household.

Some people have a great appreciation of vinegar that derives from the influences of African cooking, Asian cooking, Spanish cooking, and Italian cooking. If your looking to further the taste of your dishes by adding a dimension that is both sharp and clean, vinegar should be your choice. It has an aroma that works well with a variety of spices and herbs.

Vinegar comes from the word sour wine, which is a French word. This means that vinegar is an aged wine that has been fermented from alcoholic liquids. Vinegar is sometimes made from a variety of liquids such as red wine, white wine, champagne, or sherry. Vinegar is also considered healthy to those who count calories for use as a salt or a sauce.

If you are new to vinegar and looking for some tips in cooking with vinegar read further.

For tomato sauce and soups you can add a tablespoon or tow of vinegar while cooking, during the final five minutes.

When a recipe is calling for wine, considering substituting the wine with vinegar. You can do so by taking one pint of vinegar and diluting it with three parts water.

When your mayo jar is running low and down to its last bits, if you add just a small amount of vinegar and shake, you will have an easier time of getting the last bit of mayo out.

When cooking desserts and pies, if you add one teaspoon of vinegar, you will decrease the sweetness and increase the flavor.

Lastly, for a great marinade, consider mixing your favorite herbs with vinegar. Not only will you cook out the sourness of the vinegar, leaving you with the excellent flavors of a mixture of wine and herbs, you will also have very tender meat. Remember in choosing cooking vinegars, a balsamic vinegar is used for flavoring… normally you would not cook with balsamic vinegar.

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Oil and Vinegar is a staple in every kitchen. Even the simplest salads can be turned into a delicacy that is packed with loads of real flavor and nutrition. By using balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, you can do just that. When you are eating fresh and organic vegetables, it is well known that they are among the healthiest foods you can eat. The minute you pour those popular sauces and dressings upon them, the healthy eating stops there. These dressings are packed with chemical preservatives and trans-fat, that you are no longer eating as healthy as you thought.

That is the bad news, the good news is this, you do not have to eat unhealthy dressings any longer because the answer is some of the best and healthy alternatives to those dressings. Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. We use vinegar for a variety of cooking and cleaning purposes and extra virgin olive oil is called for in many different recipes.

What is great about these alternatives is that either one can be used for a variety of way in cooking, combined or alone they are both perfect for many foods. The problem with both balsamic vinegar and olive oil, are not readily available in the local store. The reason for this is that because many manufacturers use a variety of processing methods that have no benefit to your health. Even if you find something in the grocery store that states Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the name likely means nothing. The pureness of the olive oil depends upon the amount of processing it goes through. Therefore, because anything sold in grocery store has to go through specific processes it can be safely assumed it is not the real thing.

It is for this reason, among many others that both extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar are two of the most highly sought after ingredients all over the world. Some of the other reasons include:

Both are made from organic fruits derived from Mother Nature
Each enjoys the purity of being unprocessed and unrefined with no additives
Both are made using traditional and natural methods to ensure no nutrition value is lost
You can enjoy authentic flavor thanks to the aging processes
They have been awarded a seal of approval through a rigorous testing process to make sure you receive high quality.

It is easy to see why so many people are spending a good deal of time looking for balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil made from the finest organics. When used together these two ingredients create a combination that is flavorful, adds perfect texture, and works to improve your health, on almost any dish you can imagine.

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Herbed Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
2 teaspoons minced fresh chives
1 to 2 tablespoons water

Whisk together mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil to create a smooth emulsion. Stir in basil, dill and chives. If the vinaigrette seems too thick, whisk in a tablespoon or so of water.

Kitchen Notes: This vinaigrette is a good, basic dressing that can be paired with any tossed salad. It will hold in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 11/2 cups

From “Artisanal Cooking: A Chef Shares His Passion for Handcrafting Great Meals at Home” by Terrance Brennan and Andrew Friedman

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Simple Salad Verde with Balsamic and olive oil

Ingredients:
4 cups crisp torn mixed salad greens of choice, cleaned and dried
4 green onions, sliced (include some green tops) or 1 small red onion, peeled, thinly sliced, and separated into rings or coarsely chopped
1 to 2 medium seedless orange(s), peeled and cut into sections or bite-size pieces, or 1 (11-ounce) can mandarin orange sections, drained
Small sprigs of parsley or cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil as desired
Crisp croutons as desired for garnish (optional)

Prepare salad greens. Place greens in a zip-lock plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Turn salad greens into a large salad bowl or four individual salad bowls, dividing evenly. Add onions, orange pieces, and parsley or cilantro to greens in large bowl; sprinkle lightly with salt and toss lightly. Top each individual salad with one thinly sliced green onion and several orange pieces and 2 small sprigs of parsley or cilantro. Sprinkle each individual salad lightly with salt. Drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar and olive oil over salad in large bowl and toss mixture again lightly. Pass vinegar and oil for individual salads. May garnish with croutons, if desired.Makes 4 servings

Variations:
Omit orange(s); use 1 firm ripe medium tomato, cut into 8 equal-size wedges, or 8 ripe cherry tomatoes, each cut in half.
Add crumbled blue or goat cheese as desired.

Salad Verde with Balsamic

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