It’s salad time!
Those of us who didn’t plant their lettuce and spinach under a faulty gutter, who have not come outside TWICE this year after bad storms only to find their baby greens flattened into the rocky, exposed soil of what was supposed to be a raised garden bed, are now enjoying the vegetables of their labor.
Some folks, including my friend Sarah, even have so much lettuce they are handing out bags of it to their friends. My own failure aside, this is great news. Because while we can buy lettuce at the store year-round, it’s been pretty puny and sad-looking for a while now. And nothing beats homegrown veggies! Nothing!
This time of year, I always start thinking about making my own salad dressings to go with fresh salads for supper. It’s something my father and I always used to do together when his garden was popping. Vinaigrettes are particularly easy, especially once you have a well-stocked pantry with several different oils and vinegars to choose from. Other basic ingredients that are always helpful for making salad dressings are honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic, fresh herbs and lemon or lime juice.
Many vinaigrettes can be made easily in a cleaned, empty jelly jar. You can add all the ingredients, screw on the lid and shake vigorously. It’s easier and less messy than using a whisk and a bowl, and if you have leftover dressing, you can just store it in the fridge in your little jar. This is something fun to do with your little budding chefs. Let them dip a leaf into the dressing after shaking and ask them if it needs anything else. It’ll help them understand the balance of sweet, salty and sour.
The basic balsamic vinaigrette is always a winner. The other night, I made a salad of Bibb lettuce, sliced strawberries, feta cheese and toasted almonds dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. It was a fantastic way to showcase strawberries, which are in season now.
I’m going to share a few easy recipes from my favorite salad dressing book, “The Complete Book of Dressings” by Paulette Mitchell.
If I had to pick my very favorite dressing, I’d say it’s blue cheese. And a good honey mustard (I like Ken’s for store bought honey mustard) would come in a close second. What is YOUR favorite salad dressing?
Cilantro Vinaigrette
Makes 1/2 cup
Try this with a salad of black beans, corn, scallions, maybe some diced tomatoes when they are in season.
3 Tbsp. safflower oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Pinch ground cumin
Dash salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro (do not substitute coriander)
Place all ingredients except cilantro in a blender; puree until smooth. Stir in the cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings. Whisk or shake before serving.
Fat-free Vinaigrette
Makes 1/2 cup
1/4 cup tomato juice or mixed vegetable juice
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Pinch salt, or to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients (or shake in a lidded glass jar). Taste and adjust seasonings. Whisk or shake before serving.
Green Goddess Dressing
Makes 1/2 cup
This popular dressing is great on seafood and vegetable salads. Also makes a bold potato salad.
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. tarragon white wine vinegar
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. chopped anchovies (about 4 flat fillets)
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 scallion (green and white parts), chopped
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender; puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Whisk or shake before serving.
Indonesian Peanut Dressing
Makes 1/2 cup
Great on a vegetable salad or as a dip for raw veggies.
1/4 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
2 Tbsp. water (more if the peanut butter is very thick)
2 Tbsp. white rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. safflower oil
1/2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir before serving.
Blue Cheese Dressing
Makes 1/2 cup
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh dill (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. minced summer savory (or 1/4 tsp. dried)
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Dash hot sauce, or to taste
Place the blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a blender; puree until smooth. Stir in the dill, summer savory, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. If you prefer a thinner consistency, stir in some milk. Stir before serving.
All recipes adapted from “The Complete Book of Dressings” by Paulette Mitchell.
May 11, 2011 - 11:04 AM
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Oh my .. I looked and looked again .. but I didn’t see your recipe for our favorite .. Blue Cheese !!
I love Catalina!
Ohh… OK, I will add that one, Bonnie. You’ve twisted my arm
I have a bunch of Bibb lettuce in my garden that’s gotten huge…it’s on the menu for dinner this Sunday. I’ve never grown greens before and I’m surprised at how easy it was!
Once you make your own dressing, it’s hard to go back to store-bought. Store bought dressing is, to my tastebuds, way too sugary.
NOMS
Italian (zesty, not creamy)
… and what about “wilted lettuce” salad, with hardboiled eggs and bacon in that hot vinegar-based dressing.
Artic Salad Dressing
3 T sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4c white vinegar
3/4 cup oil
2 T grated onion
Put in blender, mixing well. Make at least one hour ahead. Simple. Easy. Fantastic!
My grandmother used to do scalded lettuce and onions with her fresh grown bibb lettuce and either scallions or green onions. The dressing was fairly easy. Fry up a couple slices of bacon for crumbling over the top, then add some white or cider vinegar to some of the bacon grease with a little bit of sugar. Once that’s warmed and to taste, dress the lettuce, chopped onions with the dressing and crumble the bacon over the top.
Thanks Lindsey .. I’ll have to get some blue cheese and try your recipe .. I haven’t made this dressing in years .. and it’s the only kind I like .. I noticed Shoney’s removed it from their salad bar .. I have alot of spinach growing in a pot on the deck .. and that will make a yummy salad with this blue cheese dressing .. Thank you !!!
I have been enjoying my salads (I’m pretty much living off of salads lately) with pressed garlic, fresh lemon, and a generous drizzle of fresh pressed olive oil that I brought back from a trip to Sicily this winter.
I’ve also been topping my salads with this fabulous homemade brazil nut “parmesan”: http://thecatinthetree.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordless-wednesd
ay-brazil-nut-parmesan.html
my favorite is the ginger dressing at kabuki!!! i would give anything to have that recipe!!! do you by chance have a close second?
I LOVE the creamy ginger dressing that Sake House makes! I would buy them and eat it all the time!
Strawberry Vinaigrette with Balsamic and Black Pepper is my current favorite. I made it with dried strawberries but now that the fresh ones are back they can be substituted. http://eatingfloyd.blogspot.com/2011/04/outside-jar-strawberry-vinaigrette-with.html
This tahini dressing is my second favorite
Tahini Dressing
Ingredients
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
½ cup tahini
4 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Mash garlic and salt together until they form a paste. Add tahini, soy, vinegar and honey and combine. Add water 1 tsp at a time until pourable. Stir in parsley.
MJ, that is an old ‘country’ recipe from years back. We used to have that when I was young, with spring leaf lettuce instead of Bibb.
We had it with fatback instead of bacon. Everybody got one piece of fatback, except Dad got two. It was sort of like Chris Rock’s – ‘Save the big piece of chicken for Daddy’ routine.
That was the only salad I ever had until I was a teen, and Wendy’s & Western Sizzlin’ came to Salem with their salad buffets.
Good memories…
Thanks, everyone, I love salads!
These are some great dressing ideas. Thanks, everyone!
My grandmother never made the “killed lettuce” (one of the terms I’ve heard) and I haven’t had an opportunity to try it myself. I have to get past the idea that hot lettuce is nasty. Nona Nelson does grill heads of romaine and make a grilled Caesar salad that sounds fantastic. I guess it’s the modern, sophisticated version of killed lettuce. haha.
Yes, a lot of local Asian restaurants have good ginger dressings – Kabuki, Fiji Island, the sushi joints. I think the closest thing in my book is this ginger-soy vinaigrette:
1/3 cup white rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. safflower oil
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. minced fresh gingerroot, or to taste
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper, or to taste
Whisk or shake all ingredients together.
I’ll keep looking!
‘Killed’ lettuce is not very different in consistency than cooked spinach. The pork fat definitely gives it a flavor that no other salad can replicate. My advice is to think of it as a salad that will appeal to people that don’t normally like salads.
My wife’s mother, when she was living, made the best “scalded lettuce and onion” salad! The dressing was oil and vinegar and sugar. My favorite dressing is “oily” Italian. Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing is a very good dressing for bought dressing. I found, on sale one time, another good “over the counter” dressing, Marzetti’s Asiago Peppercorn. I really like that one. For dressing in restaurants, Mama Maria’s house dressing, a balsamic vinaigrette, is delicious. This past Sun. we went to Mountain View Italian Kitchen and found that their homemade Italian dressing is great!
Mountain View is a great place to visit. We were also there on Sunday, and enjoyed their crab specials for lunch.A perfect spot for Mother’s Day, as the food is always delicious, and not many ever think about going there, except on Hokie football weekends & VT graduation.
They stay busy, but seldom crowded, which is great for the patrons!
I can’t get past the idea of hot lettuce being nasty. But I have to love the idea of lettuce floating in a bunch of bacon grease being called a “salad”.
It’s not really nasty at all. It’s pretty tasty, as everything tends to be with a little pork fat. The idea is to take a large bowl – my Mom always used the biggest metal mixing bowl she had, and fill it heaping full with lettuce. Then you take the hot grease from frying the fatback and you drizzle it over the lettuce. This ‘kills’ the lettuce down to a much smaller volume. You drizzle some apple cider vinegar over that, and chop up some green onions and sprinkle over it. If you’re ‘really’ country, you use ramps instead of green onions, but nobody on here probably knows about them. Anyway, then you each get a serving along with a piece of fatback. If you use bacon instead of fatback, you crumble the bacon into the salad. It’s not really a huge amount of pork fat, and is less than the amount of vinaigrette dressing you’d get at a typical restaurant.
You add that to some soup beans, fried potatoes, and cornbread, and you have a feast.
Scalded lettuce or wilted lettuce is wonderful! Not too awful healthy since you’re dumping bacon grease on it, but I love the bacon and vinegar combo. The recipe I have calls for you to cook the bacon until crispy, remove it to drain, add some sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper to the skillet and bring to a boil. Put the lettuce in a big bowl and add the crumbled bacon, a chopped hard boiled egg and some sliced green onions, then pour the hot dressing mixture over it. Toss to coat.
I got my first CSA share yesterday from the GFGP, and it was fantastic! Tons of lettuce, spinach, arugula (sp?), a couple of tomatoes, a cucumber, and a great box of strawberries. Plus on the side, we got a cheesecake and a couple of delish chocolate-dipped macaroons for our Handcrafted Food Share.
It’s so fun to go pick up a box and have no idea what’s in it.