Older Bolder Life

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salad dressing

the Older Bolder Life Salad Monday: Curry Vinaigrette

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We’re always on the lookout for interesting and flavorful vinaigrettes, not only for the obvious use as salad dressing, but as a quick dip or drizzle for proteins and vegetables, and even for folding into homemade avocado oil mayo to fancy things in the spirit of a high-brow, flavored aioli.

I’ve shared recently that we’ve also been on something of a curry blitz of late now that the weather has finally cooled off here in North Texas, and this Curry Vinaigrette has caught my wife’s eye in particular.

Admittedly the tablespoon (or a tad less) of curry powder sounds like a lot – it is – but the acids (vinegar of your choice below and the lemon juice) really balance this dressing out nicely, as do the garlic and dijon mustard notes. By the way, I’ve made this using a coarse-grind Creole type mustard and it was delicious as well.

Given the use of fresh garlic this dressing should be used within a week of making it; ours is always gone within a day or two!

1/2 cup avocado or good olive oil
1 tbsp (scant) good fresh curry powder

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, your choice
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp good Dijon mustard
A grind or two of fresh ground pepper
Good salt to taste

To get started, bring the curry powder and your oil of choice to a gentle simmer over medium heat in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and cool.

When the oil has cooled, combine your vinegar of choice, the lemon juice, the prepped garlic, and the Dijon in your trusty blender, then stream in the curry oil (with the motor running of course) to make a smooth, thick emulsion. Add the salt and pepper, adjust to taste, and go to it.

Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Dressing Monday: Easy Home Italian Dressing

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A couple of weeks ago a coaching client asked me if we had a recipe for an Italian salad dressing spice mix similar to “the one in the little box you buy at the grocery store”; she was of course referring to the Good Seasons mix that’s graced grocery store shelves, and many a kitchen, for decades.

While this iconic salad dressing (and oft-used marinade) is unquestionably an Americanized creation that has very little if anything to do with genuine Italian cuisine, I have to admit it’s herbal, salty, garlicky flavor, perked up with a blast of mouth-puckering acidity from the vinegar, sometimes just hits the spot. And in years past, when pressed for time setting up marinades for various meats headed for the grill, I must admit I’ve used it for seasoning in a pinch.

We’ve played with this spice mixture on and off for years; in response to the recent question above, I dug it out the files, dusted it off, refilled a few key spice ingredients so as to have the freshest possible spices on hand, and mixed up a few batches, tweaking along the way.

You’ll note this recipe is similar to a number you can found out there, though most don’t add the fruity heat of red pepper flakes. Most of the recipes for this mixture include a call for sugar; I don’t add it ours, though I might dribble in no more than a teaspoon of a good honey when shaking up a batch.

Finally, just about any vinegar you wish to use works here; our favorites are a good ACV or red wine vinegar. Same for the oils – I typically use a combination of a good EVOO and avocado oil. And it’s easy as pie to shake this one together in a pint jar with a tight fitting lid…

2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp good salt
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp celery seed
Optional: 1-3 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Optional: 1 tbsp sugar or sugar substitute of your choice

To Mix
2/3 cup oil of choice (EVOO or avocado for us)
1/3 cup vinegar (see note above)
2 tbsp of the dried spice mixture
2 tbsp water

Stir together the spice mixture; store tightly sealed in a cool, dry, dark place.

When ready to mix a batch of a dressing, combine 2 tbsp of the spice mixture with 2 tbsp of water and 1/3 cup of the vinegar of your choice; mix well. Whisk (or shake, see above) in the oil until well emulsified; the dressing will separate if it stands for too long, simply stir or shake well to recombine.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Recipe File: Buttermilk Sour Cream Salad Dressing

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I don’t know about you, but we’re always on the lookout for new salad dressing recipes to brighten up the (almost) daily salad we enjoy week in and week out.

Just like you, we have our favorites, most of which we stir together at home to ensure we’re using the freshest, and cleanest, ingredients we can. (Insert your favorite rant here about how most commercially prepared salad dressings are based on terrible, PUFA-laden franken oils, or cost ten bucks a bottle for the good stuff.)

Just like you, we’re always on the lookout for great salad dressings that can serve double duty as a dip for crudite, or a slather for leftover proteins coming out of the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch too.

And while this Buttermilk Sour Cream Dressing may give away a bit of our Texas heritage, growing up eating wedge salads with a classic Ranch dressing, this recipe is based on tangy sour cream, a healthy dose of lemon (fresh juice and zest), with a hint of garlic and dill. You could of course sub in any fresh herb you have on hand, the dill just seems to fit here…

Given this one a spin, it’ll become one you reach for over and again.

3/4 cup full-fat sour cream
2 tbsp full-fat buttermilk
2 tbsp avocado or olive oil mayonnaise
3 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tsp lemon zest
1 garlic clove, grated
1-2 tsp finely chopped fresh dill (optional)
1 -2 tsp good salt
1-2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

This one couldn’t be easier; simple combine the entire ingredient list in a small bowl, and whisk to combine. Add a tbsp of additional buttermilk if you want to thin the mixture. Can make up to a day ahead, store covered in the fridge if not savoring this one right away.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 9 December: Chile Lime Vinaigrette

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There are a gazillion recipes for good vinaigrettes out there; we seem to stir or whisk up a vinaigrette four or five nights per week these days.

Of all the recipes we enjoy, this Chile Lime Vinaigrette is probably my personal favorite and one that we serve on a simple slaw (green and a little purple cabbage, thinly sliced green or red onions, maybe some grated carrot or beet, slivered bell pepper, and pending the protein, usually a handful of cilantro leaves) at least once a week.

Though it’s typically a tad more than 3 tablespoons, I always count on using two limes, and pending how spicy the chile paste (or garlic chile paste) jar happens to be this time around, may use a bit more to spice things up.

This vinaigrette not only plays well on slaws and salads, but roasted vegetables and even occasionally as a dipping sauce for roasted or grilled chicken and more.

The brown sugar is of course optional; even the 1/2 teaspoon adds just the tiniest hint of sweetness that adds to the flavor package here.

1/4 cup avocado oil (or EVOO)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp good fish sauce
1 tbsp fresh chile paste or chile garlic paste
3/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)

Optional
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp brown sugar

This one couldn’t be easier. Combine the first six ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine, pour over your slaw, salad, or vegetables. Best made right before use.

Enjoy.

the Older Bolder Life Salad Sunday 26 August: Homemade Caesar Dressing with Avocado Oil Mayo

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As the summer heat drags on here in Northeast Texas, we find ourselves reaching more and more often for a cool salad topped with a tasty and chilled grilled protein.

My wife and I love a good Caesar, and have played around for years looking for a Homemade Caesar Dressing that tasted like a great Caesar should and yet didn’t require an advanced food science degree to pull off.

Thanks to several friends, including Chef Libby in Austin, we’ve settled on this amalgam of several good recipes, which is build around a cup of a healthy and tasty avocado oil (or good olive oil) mayo made right in our / your own kitchen.

If smashing anchovies and garlic into a paste with the back of a spoon doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, track down the very reasonable substitute anchovy paste, though we agree with the many traveling this road before us that the real thing packs a bit more funky, umami punch, and just tastes better.

Most recently we’ve been topping Caesars with either a Cajun-spiced grilled chicken or shrimp, though Judy’s salmon, grilled and chilled, is tough to beat too.

2-3 small garlic cloves, minced
1-2 small anchovies
1 cup freshly made avocado oil mayo
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 and 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp good Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp good salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

This one is a piece of cake to pull together.

Mash the minced garlic and anchovies into a smooth paste in a small mixing bowl; whisk in the next 6 ingredients until smooth and creamy. Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I’ll sometimes add a bit more) and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

Stir into that masterpiece of a Caesar salad you’ve built and go to it.

Enjoy.