Keri White
My dressings are usually thrown together splashes of spices, oils and vinegars tossed atop a salad. These work just fine, but certain alchemistic combos really elevate a salad to the next level.
The following is one such recipe. Because this batch makes about 1½ cups, it can be used over several days in several ways, so you achieve something of an economy of scale related to the effort.
In addition to an excellent salad topping, the vinaigrette is wonderful on grilled ratatouille (recipe follows), any type of grilled veggie or a pasta/rice salad. It does double-duty with proteins — use it as a marinade for meat, poultry, tofu or fish, then finish the dish with an extra drizzle of the dressing.
When you do the math and see how versatile and useful this vinaigrette is, suddenly the effort put into the dressing is well worth the payoff!
Worth-the-effort Vinaigrette
Makes 1½ cups
This dressing blends vegetable oil and olive oil; this is designed to dilute the strong flavor of olive oil, which can dominate some more delicate ingredients.
If this is not an issue for you, use all olive oil or choose a milder olive oil — there is quite a bit of variation in flavors, and some bottles are labeled accordingly. Choose what you like best!
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
¾ cup olive oil
½ cup vegetable oil
1½ tablespoons honey
Juice of a lemon
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
2-3 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the mustard, garlic and shallot in a bowl with a fork or small whisk. Slowly add the oils, whisking constantly. Add the honey and mix. Add the lemon juice, and then add the two vinegars gradually. Add water to thin the dressing to the preferred consistency, then add the salt and pepper.
Store the dressing in a sealed container or jar in the refrigerator; it will keep for about a week. Bring it to room temperature and shake well before using.
I “Heart” Salad
Serves 4
Due to the somewhat rarified ingredients, this salad is pretty fancy — hearts of palm and artichokes are not typical pantry items and are a bit pricey. Trot this out for a special occasion!
Note: I prefer to roast my own peppers, but the jarred version is perfectly acceptable — shoot for about ⅔ cup of pepper strips.
1 red pepper
1 8-ounce jar of marinated artichokes
4 stems of hearts of palm, drained and cut into ½-inch rounds
6 cups mixed baby salad greens (spring mix, arugula, etc.)
Scant ¼ cup “Worth-the-effort” Vinaigrette
Roast the red pepper: Place it under the broiler or on a hot grill and turn it occasionally until charred on all sides. Place it in a paper bag, seal it and let it steam. When it’s cool enough to handle, peel and seed the pepper and cut it into strips. Set it aside.
Assemble the salad: Place the greens in a large, shallow bowl, and artfully strew the remaining ingredients over them. Toss it with the dressing and serve it immediately.
Grilled Ratatouille with Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Using a grill basket makes this preparation a snap. You can start cooking it before you grill your main protein and either push it to the side or take it off as space dictates.
Prep the veggies ahead of time — they will benefit from a good soak in the olive oil and spice, and that expedites your steps in the run-up to serving the meal. You can also do this well ahead of time; it is fine served at room temperature.
6 cups mixed vegetables, cut into bite-sized chunks: eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, onion, pepper, etc.
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning or your favorite dried herb blend
Salt and pepper to taste
Scant ¼ cup “Worth-the-effort” vinaigrette
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Toss the vegetables in the olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and a half teaspoon of dried mixed herbs. This can be done just before cooking or up to a day ahead.
When ready to cook, heat your grill to medium-high, throw the marinated veggies into a grill basket and cook them until they become tender and a bit charred.
Remove the vegetables from the grill, toss them with dressing and parsley, and serve.
