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Salad chic
By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer
They don't call it salad dressing for nothing. Without a drizzle of champagne vinaigrette or a volcanic dollop of chunky blue cheese, that pile of greens and raw vegetables might as well be feed for barnyard animals. Dressing civilizes salad. Even in the age of it's-all-about-my-diet dining, there's a dressing for every taste and whim. Low-fat or no-fat, low-carb or no-sugar, and low-sodium or organic dressings can join full-throttle creaminess and glistening oils on the table. Order dressing on the side, the nutrition gurus tell us. Simply dip your fork into the dressing like a tentative swimmer toe-checking a pool, then spear a lettuce leaf. Lots of flavor, fewer whatever it is you don't want. In the refrigerator door, bottles of dressing sit label to sticky label until used or tossed out. Bought with great anticipation, the taste often disappoints, and what's left is a nearly full bottle of Mrs. Keeler's Best Darn Tootin' Tuscan Vinaigrette. Even a barnyard animal wouldn't touch that one. The answer is simple. Either stick with commercial varieties, scouring ingredient labels to ferret out the ones you might like, or experiment by making dressings according to your tastes and diet peccadillos. If that sounds like we just suggested you build a rocket to the moon, we understand. Homemade dressing, however, makes more sense than buying a bottle for $3.69 and dumping $3.25 worth of it. Americans spend about $1.4-billion a year on pourable salad dressing; imagine how much cascades down the drain. Making dressing is easy if you know the rules, of which there are few. For a vinaigrette, the classic ratio is three parts oil to one part vinegar, then embellish from there. For a salad for two, mix 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Whisk until emulsified and add 1 teaspoon or 2 of Dijon mustard, a healthy pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Simple, elegant and tasty. The vinegar is the acidic yin to the oil's smooth yang. There are many flavored vinegars that can pump up a dressing, including raspberry, red wine or even rice wine vinegar, if you are building an Asian-influenced salad. The acid can also come from a combination of wine, citrus or tomato juice. Vinaigrette and mayonnaise, both French in origin, are the basis of most salad dressings. One difference between them is that vinaigrette stays emulsified only briefly, and mayonnaise, and most cream dressings, do not separate. You don't usually have to shake the heck out of a bottle of Ranch dressing like you do a cruet of Italian. Thousand Island Dressing is basically ketchup, mayonnaise and pickle relish. Russian dressing is mayo and chili sauce. Catalina French is similar to Russian but is sweeter (brown sugar) and a bit more tangy (vinegar). Blue cheese includes mayonnaise, sour cream, pungent cheese and a splash of Worcestershire, and Ranch is buttermilk-based. Italian, well, that's oil and vinegar with garlic, oregano and basil, plus grated cheese (Parmesan or Romano), among other ingredients. The color of Green Goddess comes from pureed spinach, watercress, parsley and fresh tarragon. Honey Dijon is gussied-up vinaigrette with honey adding sweetness and mustard the zing. Caesar dressing is garlic, anchovies, egg (usually raw, but egg substitutes can be used), lemon juice and olive oil. Here are salad dressing tips gleaned from several cookbooks, including a Culinary Institute of America textbook The Professional Chef and the Web site www.cookingvillage.com. Go fruity. Combine pureed pineapple, orange or mango with a splash of olive oil, a sprinkle of nutmeg and a little honey for a refreshing dressing for a fruit salad or baby spinach. Nuts supply crunch. Bada-zing! For a zesty dressing, mix half dill-pickle juice and half vegetable oil. Mild oil. The earthy flavor of extra-virgin olive oil doesn't work with every dressing or salad. Vegetable or canola oil is milder and better suited for Asian dressings. Don't forget peanut, sesame, hazelnut and walnut oils, which are too strong (and pricey) to be used in large quantities; use them to augment vegetable oil. Make it your own. Don't like the bottled dressing you bought? Rescue it with fresh ingredients such as tarragon or basil, minced garlic, shallots or even ginger. Try this before you dump it. Blue mood. Like the idea of blue cheese dressing but don't want the fat and calories of the mayo and sour cream? Make a balsamic vinaigrette with heart-healthy olive oil and crumble blue cheese on top of the salad. That '70s dressing. Combine half an avocado with 1 cup of Italian dressing in the blender to make a quick avocado dressing. Bulk up, slim down. Salad dressings with less oil are thinner and often less appetizing. To add body, blend dressing with 1/4 to 1/2 cup overcooked rice or 1 to 2 chunks of cooked potato. Tofu will do the same thing. Yo! Gurt! Substituting plain low-fat yogurt for sour cream in a recipe can save calories but might add unwanted tang. Reduce the amount of vinegar to balance the yogurt's acidity. Mayo clinic. Commercial mayonnaise is much sweeter than homemade, but it still can be used as the basis for other dressings. Make a creamy roasted-garlic dressing by blending 1 cup of mayonnaise with three or four cloves of roasted garlic and a few teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. Include minced fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley or basil. Spice world. Experiment with spices in vinaigrettes. The East Indian flavor of curry powder is distinctive when mixed with oil, cider vinegar and minced garlic, ginger and shallots. Add a little chili powder to mayo to dress a chicken salad. Herbs d'Provence, with its dried lavender, is a lovely accent to oil and vinegar for a simple mesclun salad. Sure, you can eat your salad plain with nothing but spikes of frissee and iceberg to tickle your fancy. But we like the idea of dressing up. That's what separates us from those barnyard animals. Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Combine all the ingredients and process in a blender until smooth. Makes 1 cup. Source: The Can Opener Gourmet by Laura Karr (Hyperion, 2002). Buttermilk Dressing
Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Source: Gourmet magazine, January 2003. Avocado Dressing
Cut avocados in half. Remove seeds and skin. Put avocados, lemon/lime juice, onion, garlic, green chiles and salt in blender and blend until well mixed. Stir in tomato. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. The citrus juices prevent the avocado from darkening. Serve as a dressing for cooked or raw vegetables, such as cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, green beans or on any salad. Source: www.recipesource.com. Cucumber Dressing
Puree the cucumbers in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend just until incorporated. Adjust the seasoning with sugar, salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later. Source: The Professional Chef, 7th edition, Culinary Institute of America. Classic Raspberry Vinaigrette
In a blender or food processor, combine raspberry vinegar, raspberries, honey, and basil; whirl 1 minute or until well blended. With the motor on, add olive oil in a slow steady stream, whirling until dressing is smooth. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature. Makes 1 cup. Source: www.cookinginamerica.com. Citrus-Peanut Dressing
Blend mustard and peanut butter, then gradually beat in orange juice. Stir in yogurt and orange rind and beat until blended and smooth. Chill. Good for green leafy or fruit salads. Makes 3/4 cup. Source: www.recipesource.com.
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