Although not in the same category of ease as falling off a log, whipping up a batch of tasty salad dressing is certainly one of life’s more simple tasks.
Take your basic vinaigrette: Oil and vinegar, with flavorings including fresh garlic and herbs to taste. That’s pretty much it.
Contrary to what some opinionated celebrity chefs would have you believe, there is not a strict rule regarding the ratio of oil to vinegar. It’s a matter of taste. Your taste
One way to make sure you’re stocked with homemade vinaigrette is to assemble a big batch of my Amazing Vinaigrette Base. The concept came to me one evening as I was making a week’s worth of vinaigrette. I’d minced and smooshed a handful of fresh garlic cloves with a bit of salt and had whisked this into some red wine vinegar.
I had also whisked in a generous amount of fresh-ground black pepper and spoonful of sugar. Just as I was about to add the olive oil I had an epiphany: Don’t.
You see, when olive oil is chilled it gets thick. And where do we store homemade vinaigrette? In the refrigerator, of course, to keep all the herbs and garlic fresh. But when you go to use the vinaigrette – if you haven’t thought ahead and removed it from the fridge – the olive oil is thick and gunky until it gets up to room temperature.
Store this mixture in the refrigerator I told myself and keep the olive oil in the pantry at room temperature. Then, whenever I’m ready to toss the evening salad, I just pour a bit of the zesty vinaigrette base into a cup, whisk in olive oil and I’m ready to toss.
I encourage you to whip up a batch while fresh greens are local and salads are a regular, if not nightly, event. I’m also providing you with a few of my other favorites.
Jan’s Amazing Vinaigrette Base
3cups red wine vinegar
3tablespoons chopped fresh garlic (6 large cloves)
13/4teaspoons salt
1teaspoon sugar
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl (preferably one with a pouring spout). Select a 3- to 4-cup capacity bottle or jar with a screw-top lid (consider using empty liquor or water bottles). Pour the prepared vinegar mixture through a funnel into the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
To prepare vinaigrette as needed, whisk together desired amounts of the vinegar base with good quality olive oil. You can either do this right in the salad bowl and toss with the salad ingredients, or you can whisk a small amount in a separate cup then drizzle over your salad before tossing.
Makes enough vinaigrette base to create at least 6 cups of vinaigrette (that’s a ratio of 1 part vinaigrette base to 1 part olive oil; some people prefer an oilier vinaigrette, in which case, your vinaigrette base will make considerably more vinaigrette.
Balsamic vinaigrette for greens
1/4cup balsamic vinegar
1/4cup red wine vinegar
2teaspoons honey
2teaspoons Dijon mustard
1teaspoon soy sauce or Kikkoman Tempura sauce (the tempura sauce is not easy to find, but it is available)
1/2teaspoon black bean garlic sauce (available in the Asian food section of most supermarkets)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine vinegars, honey, mustard, tempura sauce, black bean sauce, salt and pepper. Add olive oil. Adjust seasonings. Makes 2 cups.
Whenever my husband feels our salad greens can stand a respite from our house vinaigrette, he whips up a batch of this delicious dressing.
The recipe was inspired by the House Dressing at Burton’s in downtown Corvallis, Ore. They never gave him their recipe (he never had the temerity to ask), but he just kept tasting and testing in our kitchen until he believed he achieved success.
Steve’s blue cheese dressing
1cup diced (1/4-inch cubes) red onion
4-6ounces (or more!) of your favorite blue cheese (Steve prefers Treasure Cave), more as needed
2/3 cup red wine vinegar, more as needed
1/3 cup vegetable oil (such as corn or canola), more as needed
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place the onions in a bowl. Crumble in about 4 ounces of the blue cheese, then gently stir in the vinegar and vegetable oil. At this point, you may have to add additional oil, vinegar, or blue cheese to reach a consistency that hovers between a vinaigrette and a creamy dressing. Steve prefers a higher ratio of blue cheese, so he inevitably adds more at this point (which usually translates into another trip to the store), whereas I prefer it to have more vinegary.
Now add the pepper. It may seem like a lot, but it really is delicious. The dressing should be prepared the night before serving, so the onions have a chance to marinate. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks – as long as Steve doesn’t live nearby.
Makes about 21/2 cups dressing.
This is a simple vinaigrette to prepare. It also makes a great marinade (equal portions of the dressing and soy sauce) for chicken, pork and beef.
The Dominguez House Dressing
2/3cup wine vinegar
1tablespoon Dijon mustard
4large cloves garlic, mashed
2teaspoons salt
1/2teaspoon sugar
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1cup each extra-virgin olive oil, other vegetable oil (such as canola, corn, or saffola)
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, sugar, and pepper. Whisk in the oils, then pour the mixture into your storage bottle.
Makes 3 scant cups of dressing.
Tomato ginger vinaigrette
1/2pound of Roma-style tomatoes (2 average-sized), seeded and chopped
2teaspoons finely grated, peeled, fresh ginger root
2tablespoons double strength chicken broth (Campbell’s)
1large garlic clove, finely minced
2tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a blender, blend together the tomatoes, ginger root, chicken broth, garlic clove, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. With blender running add oil in a stream; blend until emulsified (the mixture will appear creamy and slightly thick. Vinaigrette may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring the vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk before serving.
Makes about 2 cups.
Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
