Dressing your Salads Simply
Karen
Are you always looking for new inspiration for dressings for your salads?
Do you taste salads made by others and need to know what that yummy dressing is?
BASIC RECIPE
Any leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for a long time. The flavours will improve and blend when left for a few days. Just give it a good shake each time, before use.
Now try some additions and replacement of ingredients. Here are some of the combinations I have tried and liked. These should all be added to suit your tastes and they can be mixed and matched as much as you like to come up with your own combinations.
The dressing pictured above is my favourite for the moment. The colour is vibrant and it tastes wonderful, particularly if you are a big basil fan like me. The recipe is:
My other "go to" dressing is based on a cherry or blackberry vinegar. This is perfect when I want a fruity flavour. The recipe is:
Wow.........these dressings took me all of 5 minutes to make........that's perfect!!!
Do you taste salads made by others and need to know what that yummy dressing is?
It seems to be an endless search in my world, to find new and interesting tasting dressings to smarten up my salads. There are so many recipes for dressings but getting around to making and trying them all is a challenge. I am one of those annoying people who soon gets bored when the same dressing is used too often.
Simplicity is an important concept in my kitchen and includes knowing the ingredients are readily available in your pantry or fridge. Being able to whip up a dressing in just a couple of minutes led me to this latest find for vinaigrettes and its proving to be quick and easy so I thought I would share.
Changing quantities is easy as long as you stay with the basic rule:
3 parts Oil TO 1 part Vinegar and/or Lemon juice
Simplicity is an important concept in my kitchen and includes knowing the ingredients are readily available in your pantry or fridge. Being able to whip up a dressing in just a couple of minutes led me to this latest find for vinaigrettes and its proving to be quick and easy so I thought I would share.
Changing quantities is easy as long as you stay with the basic rule:
3 parts Oil TO 1 part Vinegar and/or Lemon juice
BASIC RECIPE
- 1/2 cup good quality oil (olive, sunflower or rice bran work well)
- 1 TBsp vinegar (cider, wine or balsamic)
- 2 TBsp lemon juice (or lime)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cracked pepper
- Measure all the above ingredients into a jar or container with a lid.
- Give it a good shake and you are all ready to go.
- For larger quantities, mix with a blender or stick mixer.
Any leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for a long time. The flavours will improve and blend when left for a few days. Just give it a good shake each time, before use.
Now try some additions and replacement of ingredients. Here are some of the combinations I have tried and liked. These should all be added to suit your tastes and they can be mixed and matched as much as you like to come up with your own combinations.
ALTERNATIVES
Use fruit vinegar in basic recipe (blackberry, cherry, raspberry)
Add 1-3 tsp of Wholegrain Mustard
Add 1TBsp of Honey & 1 tsp Wholegrain Mustard
Add 1tsp crushed garlic
Add 1TBsp pesto
Add 1TBsp toasted Sesame seeds
Use lime juice in basic recipe & add 1tsp fresh grated ginger & a pinch of chilli
Use orange juice in basic recipe & add 1tsp orange zest
Add chopped olives & 1tsp crushed garlic
Add chopped capers & 1tsp crushed garlic
Add 1/2cup plain yoghurt (Greek is good), 1TBsp chopped mint & 1tsp lemon zest
Add 2TBsp chopped toasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts)
Add 1TBsp tahini & chopped toasted nuts
Use fruit vinegar in basic recipe (blackberry, cherry, raspberry)
Add 1-3 tsp of Wholegrain Mustard
Add 1TBsp of Honey & 1 tsp Wholegrain Mustard
Add 1tsp crushed garlic
Add 1TBsp pesto
Add 1TBsp toasted Sesame seeds
Use lime juice in basic recipe & add 1tsp fresh grated ginger & a pinch of chilli
Use orange juice in basic recipe & add 1tsp orange zest
Add chopped olives & 1tsp crushed garlic
Add chopped capers & 1tsp crushed garlic
Add 1/2cup plain yoghurt (Greek is good), 1TBsp chopped mint & 1tsp lemon zest
Add 2TBsp chopped toasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts)
Add 1TBsp tahini & chopped toasted nuts
These are just for starters. Have fun experimenting.
The dressing pictured above is my favourite for the moment. The colour is vibrant and it tastes wonderful, particularly if you are a big basil fan like me. The recipe is:
- Make up basic dressing with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar & 3/4 cup olive oil
- Add 1TBsp basil pesto
- Add zest of 1/2 a lemon
- Add 1tsp wholegrain mustard
My other "go to" dressing is based on a cherry or blackberry vinegar. This is perfect when I want a fruity flavour. The recipe is:
- Make up basic dressing with 1/4 cup cherry balsamic vinegar & 3/4 cup olive oil
- Add 2 cloves crushed garlic
- Add 2tsp toasted sesame seeds
Shake and serve.
Wow.........these dressings took me all of 5 minutes to make........that's perfect!!!
