Salad Dressing of Oil and Vinegar
After a long winter, the appearance of an array of fresh and varied produce in farmers’ markets and stores may awaken your desire to create a crisp, fresh salad. The invigorating and fresh flavor of fresh spring greens and heirloom tomatoes deserve to be dressed with a delicious salad dressing to liven your taste buds.
Salad vegetables can seem rather bland and boring if not dressed with a vinaigrette or sauce to enhance their flavor. You can easily remedy this by creating a dressing that will complement each flavor and bring out the freshness and uniqueness of the produce you are using.
If made incorrectly, salad dressing can actually destroy the wonderful flavor of the fantastic fresh vegetables you are using, and, if the proportions of oil and vinegar are incorrect you may find that the whole dish is rather spoiled! It is not necessary to be a culinary expert to follow the few simple guidelines below to help you avoid the prospect of a disastrous salad.
To create the perfect salad dressing at home an emulsifier is needed, that is to say to create an emulsion. An emulsion is something that assists ingredients such as oil and vinegar to combine.
A good emulsifier can be found in the form of mustard. There are many different varieties of mustard, Pommery and American golden brown such as Gulden’s to name just two. French Dijon mustard is another variety that may be used but is sometimes eschewed because its flavor is too sharp. Other emulsifiers can be found in raw egg yolk, though the risk of salmonella may be a deterrent to some. If none of these appeal and fast and simple emulsion can be created by blending together oil, vinegar, herbs, olives or even soft cheeses, goat or feta cheese work very well. You may also consider including some citrus or soft fruit.
Oil and vinegar dressings are a healthy way to dress fresh green garden salads. A balsamic vinaigrette can always be used as a marinade as well.
oil and vinegar, salad dressing, balsamic dressing
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