101: Vinaigrettes, etc

As a follow-up to our first vinaigrette post, here are some additional tips regarding vinaigrettes and salad dressings:

• If there is too much vinegar (tastes too acidic), add more oil or balance it with a little bit of honey, maple syrup, or frozen juice concentrate, depending on the type of salad.
• To make a lighter salad dressing, use seasoned rice vinegar or white balsamic vinegar, which are less acidic, so you’ll need less oil.
• A creamy caesar dressing should have plenty of garlic, a little Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, anchovies optional
• Making a salad with fruit?  Enhance the sweetness by adding honey or orange/lemon peel to the dressing
• To give vinaigrettes and your salads a stronger kick, grate fresh ginger or garlic cloves instead of mincing them.  Tool for the job?  Rasp-style grater, like the original Microplane brand.
• Most importantly, dress the salad just before serving, so it stays crisp.

Compliments of our Bon Appétit cookbook.

Waste not, want not

elz + pab