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.

Classic Vinaigrette, oil and vinegar

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A vinaigrette is very simple to prepare. Just remember the proportion of oil to vinegar for classic vinaigrette is 3 to 1. Use of excellent sea salt, the best balsamic vinegar and oil you have available and some freshly ground black pepper.

Citrus Vinaigrette: Use freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice instead of balsamic vinegar. Other citrus juices can also work. Balance the acidity of the citrus to the amount of oil you use. This is an excellent complement to avocado salad or grilled fish.

Warm Cider Vinaigrette: Heat half a cup of cider vinegar, add in some salt, pepper and chopped shallots. Heat until the mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup. Then turn off the heat and add 2/3 cup of olive oil. Great for slightly bitter greens like dandelions mixed with warm goat cheese and bacon strips.

Sherry-Walnut Vinaigrette: Instead of red wine vinegar, use sherry vinegar and instead of olive oil, use walnut oil.

Champagne-Hazelnut Vinaigrette: Substitute red wine vinegar with Champagne vinegar. Add hazelnut oil. A perfect complement for a salad composed of toasted and crushed hazelnuts, sliced strawberries and baby spinach.

Jalapeno-Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette: Substitute red wine vinegar with half and half of lime juice and white wine vinegar. You can use a blender or food processor to mix the vinegar, salt, pepper, lime juice, one half of a seeded jalapeno plus 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro. While the motor is running, slowly pour in the olive oil.

Anchovy Vinaigrette: Place 2 or 3 fillets of anchovy into a blender or food processor. Add red wine vinegar and 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard. Then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the motor is running. Pour on romaine salad, steamed asparagus or poached leeks.

Parsley Vinaigrette (for Roasted Chicken or Meat): Roast or pan-sear chicken or meat. Then blend the hot pan juices (around 3 tablespoons) in a blender or food processor. Add in red wine vinegar, pepper, salt and 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley. While the motor is running, drizzle in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Garlic Vinaigrette: Mash together salt and 1 large clove of garlic, using the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle. Add the mixture to balsamic vinegar and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. You can also use 1 tablespoon of roasted garlic. This is a perfect complement to lamb chops or grilled steak.

Ginger Sesame Vinaigrette: Instead of red wine vinegar, use rice wine vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon of freshly minced ginger. Then whisk in 3 parts canola oil with 1 part toasted sesame oil.

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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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