Around our kitchen we truly love adding a variety of flavors to the cascade of fresh salad greens that show up in various farmers markets this time of year, flavors that are bright, fresh, and interesting are a cinch to achieve using simple but oh-so-good vinaigrettes made from the workhouse combination of vinegar and oil.
Of course everyone is familiar by now with the classic formula for combining vinegar and oil to make a vinaigrette/dressing – 1 part vinegar to 3 parts (classically olive) oil. Grind in a little fresh pink salt and pepper, whisk it up, and viola, you have a fresh, well-balanced, tasty finish for that salad.
We tend to add a bit more acid – in the form of vinegar(s) or citrus juices – to most of ours as we enjoy a bit more acidity with the salads we prepare; don’t be afraid to experiment and change things up, it’s almost a sure thing you’ll find something you like better than your usual dressing along the way.
Quick Suggestions on Oils for your Dressing
Occasionally we’ll add just a bit of a nice Nut Oil, like macadamia, hazelnut, or walnut to bring a delicious nutty flavor component. Another great one to try is subbing in Browned Butter for something really different; the friend who showed us used fresh lemon juice and white wine vinegar for hers, but a host of vinegars would play here.
A chef friend uses a quarter or half of a Soft Avocado in place of the oil in many of her dressings, with vinegar or citrus juice for the acid; it’s quick and creamy.
And while a good extra virgin olive oil is the gold standard here, we love using a nice Avocado Oil in our dressings too.
Quick Suggestions for Vinegar and Oil Variations
For a quick and easy Italian version, to your basic dressing / vinaigrette, add 1/2 tsp (or a bit more) of a pre-mixed Italian seasoning, and a pinch (or more) of finely crushed red pepper flakes.
For a quick and easy Creamy version, to your basic dressing / vinaigrette, add 2-3 tbsp of olive oil/avocado oil mayo, plain Greek yogurt, or even full fat sour cream.
For a quick and easy Mustard version, to your basic Italian dressing / vinaigrette, 1 tsp (or more) of your favorite Dijon, Cajun, or whole-seed brown mustard, and optionally a tsp of good honey.
For a quick and easy Creamy Garlic version, to your basic Creamy dressing / vinaigrette, add 1 finely grated or pressed garlic clove and a whisper of Italian seasoning.
For a quick and easy Parmesan Cracked Pepper version, to your basic Creamy dressing / vinaigrette, add 1-2 tbsp grated nice parmesan and 1/4 tsp (or more) fresh, coarsely-ground black pepper.
The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. The goal here is to pack a variety of great flavors into simple-to-prepare, uber-fresh dressings and vinaigrettes you can easily craft right at home.
Enjoy.
Leave a Reply