Salad Dressings

It is amazing how much we have allowed the industrial-corporate food complex to convince us that some simple foods are beyond our ability to make. Take salad dressings: they need be no more complicated than 2 parts oil to one part vinegar, shaken. The dubious ‘convenience’ of commercial salad dressings also comes with any number of chemical stabilizers and preservatives, allowing them to sit for months on the grocery store shelf. Take back your kitchen! If you grow your own lettuce, why not make your own salad dressings to put on them? The first four take no more than a minute or two to assemble; the last takes all of 15 minutes. You’ll never buy salad dressing again.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Don’t use really good balsamic vinegar here; rather go for a cheap version as the good stuff would be wasted. Any high quality, strongly flavored red wine vinegar would work as well

¼ cup smooth Dijon mustard
¼ cup cheap balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Place mustard in bowl. Slowly whisk in vinegar until smooth & creamy. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

Ranch

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cottage cheese
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon chives, minced

Puree first three ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth & creamy. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate.

Chinese

Hoisin sauce and Chile Sauce with Garlic are available at any oriental market.

½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
¼ cup preserved ginger in syrup, mashed in to a paste
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon chile sauce with garlic
1 teaspoon salt
One green onion, minced

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Refrigerate

Lemon-Tahini Dressing

1 cup tahini
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ cup water
½ cup lemon juice
salt to taste

Place tahini, and garlic into a blender or food processor. Puree, slowly adding in water. Continue blending, while slowly adding in lemon juice, and salt to taste. Refrigerate.

Tomato Vinaigrette

A great way to use some of the late summer bounty of fresh tomatoes. Fresh or dried herbs work equally well; if using fresh, double the amounts.

½ lb fresh tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon tarragon
½ teaspoon marjoram
½ teaspoon basil
2 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoon lemon juice

Heat olive oil in small pan. Sauté garlic and shallots until soft. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, wine, salt, and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Puree in food processor or blender. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate.

Tunisian

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon harissa
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste