Listed on the back of your favorite store-bought salad dressings are a few unpronounceable ingredients, unhealthy preservatives and compounds that only organic chemistry students know how to decipher. Ditch the bottle, and make your own! Homemade vinaigrettes and salad dressings are sinfully easy to make, and you can control what goes into them.
The Basics
-
At the very core of all vinaigrettes is a simple 3-to-1 ratio of oil to acid (vinegar or citrus juice). However, some people feel this results in an oily vinaigrette, so adjust the ratio to your liking. Keep in mind that the oil does serve a purpose, as it adds body to a vinaigrette, but also softens the intensity of acids.
-
The only difference between a vinaigrette and a dressing is that a dressing is a stable emulsion. An emulsion is a blend of two liquids that don’t mix, such as oil and water. This is why you have to shake or whisk vinaigrettes before usage, as they are only temporary emulsions. A dressing incorporates a protein to stabilize the emulsion, such as mustard or egg yolk.
-
Vinaigrettes and dressings can be used beyond salads! Use vinaigrettes to dress up grains, steamed vegetables or marinades.
-
There are rules for pairing oils to acids, but of course you can combine any that make your taste buds happy. Generally, you want to pair strong flavored oils with bold acids, and neutral oils with softer acids.
-
Oils and vinegars should complement your greens. A dominant oil or vinegar can mask the subtle flavors of mild greens. A mild vinaigrette pairs well with mild greens. Bold and bitter greens go well with sharper acids and oils.
Mild Examples
-
Oils: canola, grape seed, safflower (Mild oils can also be used to tame stronger oils.)
-
Acids: lemon juice, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, rice vinegar
-
Greens: butter lettuce, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce
Bold Examples
-
Oils: nut oils, olive
-
Acids: red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar
-
Greens: arugula, kale, spinach
The final advantage of creating your own vinaigrettes and salad dressings is the control you get over customization. Add your favorite flavors to enhance the vinaigrettes. Chop up some herbs or shallots, add some sugar or honey to lend some sweetness or match the flavor to the upcoming holiday season! Anything goes when you’re making your own vinaigrettes and dressings. Hopefully this will make staying healthy over the holidays easier. Bon appétit!
Further Readings
Check out some great Thanksgiving salad ideas:
Photo credits: www.feralkitchen.com www.thewellfactor.com