Salad Dressings: Everything Starts with Vinaigrette

 

Salad Dressings:  Everything Starts with Vinaigrette

 

 

I haven’t purchased commercial salad dressing in a LOOOOOONNNG time.  It’s not the cost that bothers me with commercial stuff, and I confess I can’t make it like the big factories do.  See, I don’t have MSG, phosphoric acid, xanthan gum, EDTA, inosinate, and Guanylate handy in my kitchen.   I’m just a simple guy who did pass chemistry, but didn’t use that ebullient knowledge to plot my way through life.

 

I wouldn’t even know exactly what to buy, so I decided to find out.  When I looked up disodium guanylate, my spell checker ripped off it’s mask, coughed in my face, and shot me an evil look.

 

Disodium guanylate, also known as sodium 5’-guanylate and disodium 5’-guanylate, is a natural sodium salt of the flavor enhancing nucleotide guanosine monophosphate. Disodium guanylate is a food additive with the E number E627.  It is commonly used in conjunction with glutamic acid.

 

Nope. Decided to skip that ingredient, along with a host of others and start with the basic ratio for vinaigrette:  3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar.

 

Started with, I said, not finished with.  See, that’s just too oily for me, so I dropped the ratio down to 2 to 2.

 

But, there are many many oils and vinegars.  To start, I had to pause a minute for a sip of wine and ponder the variations.  Pondering took longer than I’d expected.  And more wine.

 

I settled on olive oil and rice vinegar, which is not so strong as other vinegars.  And to help out my sweet tooth, I used seasoned rice vinegar.

 

But, once you begin adding ingredients and since your blender is being ignored, it was time to invite the blender to join the team.  Finely chopped garlic….oh, hell, add another clove.  No need to be stingy.

 

Want the dressing to stick more easily on the salad greens?  Add an egg yolk.  Make the blender happy!

 

I don’t like to splash salt and pepper directly on salad greens, so I add a dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper to the mix.

 

Damn good, but in days to come, I fiddled and added different ingredients, but not all at once.  Sometimes I wanted a hint of Dijon mustard and sometimes something citrusy. 

 

Lemon zest lends freshness.  Orange slices add a bright flavor.

 

Like things creamier?  Sometimes I do. Best to add an egg yolk and blend it in before adding some cream or buttermilk.

 

How about an Asian tilt?

 

Try this:

 

Sesame oil and olive oil, or canola oil (one portion each)

Peanut butter (2 portions)

Lime juice (one portion)

Soy sauce (one and a half portions)

If you didn’t use seasoned rice vinegar, add honey to suit your taste

A clove or two of diced garlic

Hot sauce if you like, plus salt and pepper

 

Once again, blend it well.

 

For the Asian salad, I add shredded cabbage to the greens.

 

I prefer to tell you the portions instead of a tablespoon of this and that ‘cause I don’t know if you’re making salad dressing for two or twenty.  But, as a rule, I make more than I need, so I’ll have some in the frig ready to use.

 

Yes, I have added wine or sparkling wine to the dressing.  And sometimes I use a mix of vinegars, such as balsamic, or unseasoned rice vinegar.  

 

Fresh herbs, like rosemary or basil, or cilantro will serve you well.

 

I realize this is a shotgun blast of dressing ideas, but that’s part of the fun.

 

A few years ago, as I visited a friend and his wife, he asked me to “Please make that salad, with the dressing you made when we were at your house.”

 

“’Fraid I’m going to have to wing it, bro.  I never make the same dressing twice.” 

 

See even salad can be exciting, especially if you get to piddle with the dressing.

 

What if you don’t have a blender?  Well, if you’ve got wine, you’ve stomped grapes, right?

 

 

 

       

Salad with Salmon: Keeping it simply elegant

Cold weather ignites a yearning for rich stews, ladles of creamy soups, and the scent of roasting meat.  But, what if you want to lighten up?

One of my favorites is fresh, pan sautéed salmon filets over a mixed green salad.  See, when I say ‘lightly,’ I don’t mean oat husks with a squeeze of lemon, washed down with low fat goat’s milk.

Food should be a pleasure, and what the hell, if you give up wine, what’s there left to live for?  Ok, there’s those other things, women and song.  Also freshly baked bread and a study French cheese works in there somewhere.  See how you force me to lose my way and turn digression into a sad state of befuddlement?

Let’s get back to a salad that’s much more than mundane bits of lettuce slathered in Green-Godlessness or Raunchy Ranch.   I’m here to shower your cooking with a bit of simple, yet sophisticated style; create a joie de vie and arm you with enough creative spirit to entertain the love of your life, or even your spouse.

For the Salmon:

Salmon, a pat of butter, a tablespoon of olive oil.  Don’t like salmon or fish?  Substitute any seafood that suits you: shrimp, squid, lobster, or even mussels and clams.

For the Salad:

Iceburg or other lettuce, cut or torn into bits

Fresh spinach

Tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped

Capers, as desired (and I desire a couple of heaping Tablespoons)

Salad dressing ingredients

For the Salad Dressing: (Make a lot and use it as your go-to salad dressing!)

1 portion olive oil

1 portion seasoned rice vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Heaping tablespoon of your favorite herb (I used Herbs de Provence, but dried coriander and others also work well)

To Drizzle Over the Salmon:  Balsamic Glaze (You’ll want to make more than you need and keep it in a jar in the frig!)

2 Parts balsamic vinegar

½ Part brown sugar (or to taste)

Ok, let’s start this simple dish that will get you five star reviews!

Make the Salad Dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a glass jar and shaking vigorously.  I add the salt and pepper to the dressing because it un-complicates things when serving my guests.  The dressing can be made days or weeks in advance.  No need to keep it in the frig unless you want to.

Make the Balsamic Glaze:  Put both ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves.  Taste and add more sugar if you like.  Continue to cook until the mixture is reduced enough to easily coat the back of a spoon.

Make the Salad by tossing all ingredients in a large bowl.

Make the Salmon:  Heat a frying pan on medium heat, add butter and oil and allow them to sizzle.   For an extra touch, use a small sprig or two of rosemary and add it to the pan. Drop in the salmon, skin side down.  People often overcook fish.  Don’t do it!  Makes the salmon dry, with much less flavor.  When you see the sides of the salmon begin to lose their pink color, put the salmon on one edge and then the other. Cook each edge until just barely brown.  Now flip the salmon over, with skin side up and cook for no longer than 2 minutes, or less, depending on how thin the salmon is. Wipe the rosemary over the salmon and spoon the butter/oil mix over the fish before serving.

Testing the Salmon:  After cooking, the salmon should still be a little ‘spongy’ when you press down very lightly with your tongs or spatula.

Ok, you’ve done all the work.  Drizzle some dressing over the salad, toss again, lay the cooked salmon on top and drizzle a little bit of balsamic glaze over the fish.  Voila!

Oh, wait a sec….pour the wine!

Let me prep you for some common questions from your guests.

Guest 1:  This is a wonderful salad!  Which dressing did you use?

You:  Just something I whipped up.

Guest 1:  Oh, my god, you’re such a good cook!

Guest 2:  This salmon is fabulous!  I hate overcooked fish and this is perfect!

You:  Thanks.  I owe it all to the course I took at the Cordon Bleu in Paris

Guest 2:  You speak French?

You:  Mais, oui mon cher.

Guest 3:  Where did you get this heavenly sauce that’s on the fish?

You:  I just played a bit in the kitchen and came up with it.

Guests 1,2,3:  You made this?

You: (blushing appropriately) Well, you know…it’s just a little something.

Your spouse:  Everybody like the wine?  I picked it out myself!