If you’ve ever stood in front of the fridge wishing for just a little something to brighten up a salad, roasted veg, or even a simple piece of chicken, these Four Basic Vinaigrette Dressings are about to become your new kitchen heroes. They’re quick, they’re flexible, and they use ingredients most of us already have on hand. Once you learn the simple ratio behind a good vinaigrette, you can whisk up endless variations — and suddenly mealtime feels a whole lot easier.

We never had store bought ready-made dressings when I was growing up. My mother thought they were a complete waste of money. We would have a mixed salad with our dinner every Sunday and the dressing for it was always made from scratch. It was something which my mother had learned when we lived in Germany as a young bride, taught to her by the German landlord of the Gast Haus we lived over top of. A simple vinaigrette dressing, but so delicious nobody was complaining!

She always started the dressing early in the afternoon. She used a special bowl to make her salads in and therefore never really needed to measure anything. 

She would finely chop some onion and place it into the bottom of the bowl. This got covered with plain white vinegar. The onion sat in the vinegar all afternoon, macerating and flavoring it. It would be soft by the time supper rolled around, any harshness from it having been mellowed out by the acidity of the vinegar.

About half an hour prior to dinner she would add a quantity of salad oil. Usually Mazola because that is what people used back then. Olive oil was pretty much unheard of back in them there days. She never measured it but I suppose went generally by the amount of vinegar that was already in the bowl, and the base surface of the bowl.  She would then add some seasoning and sometimes a bit of sugar.

This would all be whisked together and then the salad ingredients added to the top, ready to toss everything together and serve. It was simple. It was easy. It was delicious.

I find that these days I never really buy salad dressing either. I usually make my own. That way I can control the amount I make and I don't end up with a refrigerator filled with an abundance of half used bottles of salad dressing that I end up eventually having to throw out anyways.

I do make a basic vinaigrette, which can be varied with a few subtle changes. There are not many salads that don't go well with a vinaigrette dressing!  Today I am sharing a simple Classic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, and three simple variations on the  original theme.

 

If you use the best quality of each of these ingredients nothing will go wrong and you will have a delicious salad at the end.  These are also great dressings to transfer to individual containers when you wish to take a salad to work. Simply decant enough for a salad into a small container with a tight lid and pop it into your lunch container!

 

1. Place all of the ingredients into a small jar with a tight fitting lid.
2. Give the jar a good shake. Your dressing should be amalgamated and ready to use.
3. If not using it right away, give it a quick shake right before you do use it.

When fresh herbs are used in a dressing bear in mind that the dressing will not last as long as a dressing without fresh ingredients like that. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.  Dressings without herbs will keep for considerably longer.

They should be refrigerated in any case. Note that during refrigeration the oil will separate from everything else and almost solidify.  This is purely normal. Let the dressing sit at room temperature for about half an hour prior to using and you should be able to shake everything together and have it amalgamate well.

One of my favorite dressings to make involves and basic vinaigrette which uses vinegar, oil and sugar in equal measures along with a tasty addition of a good full fat mayonnaise and some dried dill weed. This is a dressing which goes with just about any salad.

 

WHAT IS A DINNER SALAD?

The simple answer is a main dish salad that is hearty and filling.  A salad that won't leave you hungry and wanting more!

Dinner salads are usually composed of a delicious mix of salad greens, a variety of crisp vegetables, as well as a protein of some sort.  You can make them all vegetarian, or you can add proteins such as cheese, meat, fish or poultry. 

They usually also include a delicious dressing that is drizzled over top, and some croutons always go well sprinkled on top. Vinaigrette dressings work very well in this case.

If you have leftover cooked meats, cheeses. eggs, or vegetables, you are well on your way to enjoying a dinner salad.

If you don't have leftovers, then use cubed deli-meats.  Tinned salmon and tuna broken into bite sized chunks are also very nice.

Any cheese goes!  You want something nice and creamy and rich in flavor.  A Boursin is nice, but goats cheese is lovely as is a nice creamy cheddar.  Blue cheese goes especially nice with beef.

 

THINKING BEYOND THE ORDINARY SALAD

Salad can be and should be much more than a few leaves of lettuce and some sliced tomatoes and cucumber.  I can remember being very disappointed when I ordered my first salad to go with a meal in a restaurant in the U.K. and was presented with a couple of lettuce leaves adorned with a slice of tomato, a slice of cucumber, a ring of onion and a squeeze packet of salad cream. Very boring.

Here is a brief list of suggestions on how to make your salads tasty and much more interesting.

VEGGIES AND FRUITS

These can be tasty additions to any salad. They can be either raw or cooked. Thinly shaved such as shavings of crisp fennel or carrot, or chunked like chunks of cucumber or radish. Slices of apple or pear, peeled or unpeeled are rather nice as are tart pickled fruits or vegetables. Mostarda di Frutta, which is a traditional Italian condiment made from candied fruits preserved in a mustard-flavored syrup, combining sweet and spicy flavors is a particularly nice addition to a salad if you can get it.

GRAINS, LEGUMES AND BEANS

Cooked grains, such as barley and rice, along with legumes such as cooked lentils and chickpeas, or cooked beans can add a lovely meaty quality to a recipe as well as color and texture.

NUTS AND SEEDS

Nuts and seeds lend texture, earthy flavors and good fats to a salad. Toasting them first greatly enhances their flavors and adds an extra crispness.  I will often toast flaked almonds in a skillet with a small amount of sugar which makes for an exceptionally nice topping on any mixed salad which contains fruit.

 

PASTA, EGGS AND POTATOES

These are crowd pleasers and the best way to amp up a simple salad. Boiled eggs, poached eggs, both work well.  I love the earthiness of an unpeeled new potato cooked until just crispy tender and added to a salad with rocket and fresh beans.  A simple lemon vinaigrette and some boiled egg scattered over top and you have a salad everyone will enjoy.

FRESH HERBS

Wanting to add a real jolt of flavor, why not try incorporating some fresh herbs into the mix.  Flat leaf parsley, cilantro (coriander leaf), tarragon, fresh thyme (especially lemon thyme), etc. All can add a lovely flavor note, either incorporated into the salad themselves or sprinkled over top.

CHEESE

Soft, hard, young, old, mild, or creamy and robust. All are delicious and tend to work well in salads. Just be careful not to overdo them as they can easily take over a salad rather than enhance the already there flavors. 

SALTY ADDITIONS

Olives, capers, anchovies, croutons, crisp tortilla strips, or crisp baked wonton skins are great flavor enhancers and add a bit of interest and texture.

Approachable and appropriate, especially at this time of year, salads can be a wonderful inclusion to any meal, fitting both lavish and everyday occasions and adding a bit of punch to any meal, or even becoming the meal itself. But, any salad is only as good as it's dressing, and I really hope you will be tempted to try these basic vinaigrette dressings and perhaps even vary them to create a tasty something of your own!

 

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Author: Marie Rayner

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4 Vinaigrette Dressings to Please

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Fresh, tangy, sweet or herby. I got you covered! Quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

The Classic Vinaigrette:

• 3 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 TBS White Wine Vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette:

• 3 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 TBS fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette:

• 3 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 TBS Dijon Mustard
• 1 TBS Liquid Honey
• 1 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 3 TBS Olive Oil
• 1 TBS good Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Liquid Honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make each dressing:

1. Place all of the ingredients into a small jar with a tight fitting lid.
2. Give the jar a good shake. Your dressing should be amalgamated and ready to use.
3. If not using it right away, give it a quick shake right before you do use it.

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