Salad dressing -How do you make yours?

kittynortheast

Thanks, sounds yummy and well worth a try, and the fact that it'll be free - an added bonus as I've got all those ingredients in stock!

Lyger

When I'm stuck for inspiration, I've used an orange or lime concentrated cordial and mixed it with a bit of oil for a salad dressing.

Not exactly adventourous, but quick, easy, and made from something I always have in the house!

Ballymackeonan

Olive oil, a little wine vinegar, and mix in a dollop of pesto - hey presto!

afterglow_2

i start with a base of olive oil and white/red wine vinegar, about 3/1 , pinch of salt pepper , teaspoon of honey and wholegrain mustard, then add optional flavours to suit the salad, lime juice and sweet chilli sauce is lovely!! or lemon juice fresh thyme and crushed garlic, dill and chopped gherkin etc......

thriftmonster

We must like ours really vinegary as we have it half olive oil, half cider vinegar with dijon mustard and salt and pepper - I find the standard 2:1 mix a bit oily.

CAT££

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Add all ingredients into an empty (clean) jam jar ang give it a good shake. This can be stored in the jar in the fridge for upto a couple of weeks. This is lovely and livens up a boring salad. I usually make the above quantity using teaspoons instead of tablespoons, depends on how much you want.

Debt_Free_Chick

My tuppence worth .....

I like a balance of oil and acid (see later) which produces a very creamy emulsion. I don't want pure oil, but I don't want a very acidic dressing either. I want it creamy!

As a result, I find you need nearer five times the amount of oil to acid, rather than the suggested three times. Also, I find using just olive oil to be too strong - in fact, I don't use OO for dressing, but keep it for a "just oil" drizzle when needed.

For dressing, I use groundnut oil - for a real treat, I'll use Pure or Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil which is absolutely devine!

For the acid, I now prefer lemon juice to vinegar - I just find the lemon juice to be more subtle, but these things are very personal.

If you like garlic, I start by mashing a clove of garlic with some pure sea salt crystals like Mardon. Just mash the clove with the blade of a Cook's knife and keep mashing until it turns to a smooth paste (or a pestle & mortar will do the same job).

Put this in a jam jar and then add the oil, with a good turn of pepper (I use freshly ground five seed pepper - white, black, green, pink and allspice). Add the lemon juice - just guess, but aim for five parts oil to one of lemon juice.

Generally, I add teaspoon of mustard, either smooth Dijon or whole grain. Shake the whole thing vigorously and then look at it. If it's watery, add more oil and continue to do so until it has a thickish creamy consistency. Keep tasting it too ... that's the real key as you'll find the blend you're happy with.

I keep the jar in the fridge and add to it from time to time, but eventually it will taste stale and/or rancid :eek: telling you that it's time to chuck it out and start again.

There are variations, such as adding honey or a drop or two of flavoured vinegar. I also like a combination of hazelnut oil and raspberrry vinegar.

I think the key is to experiment and find the combination that works for you, so keep tasting it! But I would certainly start with the 5 oil to 1 acid combo and adjust from that. 3:1 doesn't cut it with me - but perhaps I'm picky

blueberrypie

Not a recipe, but a tip - use a clean spice-bottle to make it in. Insert ingredients, add lid, shake, remove lid, serve :-)

Screw-top jars are good for larger quantities, but if you want just enough for a meal, a spice-jar works better - and if you're taking your salad to work with you, it's small enough to be easily-portable too.

vixtress

not really a recipe but more a make it up as you go along.....

sloshes of:
good balsamic vinager
sesame oil,
pure orange juice,
pinch of chilli flakes
pinch of sugar
salt, papper and optional garlic (fresh crushed or granules)

delicious over any leaves, cucumber, avocado etc

thriftmonster

I use a jam jar, which I make up about half full at a time - we keep it in the fridge, but I pull it out about half an hour before we use it. We also have "drizzle jars" for olive oil and balsamic vinegar - but the kids prefer vinaigrette - they also like it on rice salad, pasta salad and potato salad so I make it in reasonable quantities for packed lunched as well as meals