by Jenise » Fri May 25, 2007 12:51 pm
Karen, your post makes an important point that the majority of people I know who rely on bottled dressings, completely fail to understand: dressings are not universal applications. The cinnamon in that dressing is there for the tomatoes and the dressing doesn't work on any other ingredients. Well, maybe beets, but plain lettuce? No. EVOO is great on dark greens, but on iceberg? It's bitter: avoid. Thick dressings should not be avoided on soft lettuces--creamy blue cheese on bibb or red oak? No, it's all wrong.
As someone who eats salad every day of my life and who eschews creamy dressings (I'm about to post a good reason for doing so--it will be a separate thread), my vinaigrettes are pretty out-there, but they always match (if I do say so myself) the ingredients.
Some of my favorites:
Cumin: for iceberg lettuce combined with a soft lettuce and a meal that's going to have a Latin beat, my vinaigette includes smoked spanish paprika, cumin, worcestershire sauce and diced shallot. I probably get more compliments on this than any other dressing I make because it's so unusual to encounter cumin in a salad dressing.
Fenugreek leaves: for torn leaves of napa cabbage combined with crumbled dry Ramen noodles and a salted soy bean mix I get in Canada, the vinaigrette is oil, vinegar and crumbled fenugreek leaves with caramel undertones. The fenugreek gives a very exotic and elusive flavor to the dressing, and I serve this salad as a starter course for meals that are in the Indian/Turkish/Morroccan/Middle Eastern arena. This salad was created out of a desire to find the perfect thing to feature dry fenugreek leaves which I found in a Persian store in L.A. This salad is it--no matter what meal I pair it with, I wake up the next day craving more of this salad.
Avocado and oregano: this is going to horrify all who know me and my aversion to mayonnaise (pus, to Stewart), but an exception is what we call Guacamole Salad. A half a chunky fork-mashed avocado, mayonnaise, LOTS of dry Mexican oregano, a clove of garlic, lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper are mixed into a dressing that is tossed with iceberg lettuce (cut into 1 1/2" chunks, the only time I cut instead of tear) and served instantly after mixing. 1/2 a medium-large avocado serves two. Another salad for latin food, like grilled garli-peno marinated skirt steak and celery-cumin rice.
Tomato and Ginger: this one goes lightly Asian. A thick, emulsified blender dressing made of mustard, whole tomatoes, cider vinegar, brown sugar, oil and ginger that's used by itself over hearts of romaine (and topped with sliced almonds) or thinned with a "classic French vinaigrette" and tossed with seasonal greens and dried fruit, pears or sliced grapes.
Grapefruit: the segments go in the salad, the juice goes in the vinaigrette. Use for strong, mixed dark-leafed greens like romaine and arugula plus a cabbage--kale is best. Add pepitos for additional texture and flavor. A fabulous winter salad.
Peanut oil and cilantro: If, like me, the thought of regulation cole slaw makes you puke, try dressing green cabbage with a dressing of peanut oil and vinegar. Finely chop a bunch of cilantro for the dressing, or just include a lot of cilantro with the cabbage. Also, add slivers of red onions. Makes a terrific salad all by itself, or it can be the only other thing you need besides grilled shrimp and a little queso fresco to stuff inside a corn tortilla crisped in a dry iron skillet to make a fabulous shrimp taco.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
The notes in parenthesis are from my friend. She experimented a bit until she came up with just the right combination.