Flavorsome Salad Dressing

Salad Dressing with flavor and a healthy aspect.

You may have chosen and bought the freshest, most inspired seasonal salad vegetables but without a salad dressing the combination of chosen produce seems uninspired and boring. A salad dressing will complement and bring out the full potential of all your salad ingredients and all their natural flavors.

It is fair to say that there are some good quality salad dressings on the market but they contain a high percentage of additives and stabilizers such as salt, xantham gum, sulfites and added sugar. Creating your own salad dressing is a much healthier option and makes more sense economically especially when compared with some of the more expensive shop bought brands. An added benefit to making your own salad dressings is that you can choose the exact ingredients that you prefer most and your dressing will undoubtedly have a superior flavor.

A selection of wonderful, fresh, healthy salad vegetables deserve a salad dressing of equal quality, so do justice to delicious salad produce and create a delicious dressing at home and don’t be tempted to compromise with a ready prepared variety.

The simplest dressing of all is vinaigrette. Vinaigrette is made by combining oil and vinegar, and, although there are many other ingredients that can substitute for vinegar if preferred, it is important to create the right balance of oil and vinegar by using one part vinegar to three parts oil. If you are concerned about health issues a ratio of to parts oil to one part vinegar will achieve good results.

There are many different types of oils and vinegars which can be used to create a simple vinaigrette but the basic ingredients are always extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper.

If you feel in a creative mood, why not choose less basic ingredients to produce a unique vinaigrette. There is a multitude of extraordinary oils and vinegars available, for example, you may like to try a citrus based vinegar such as blood orange, or take inspiration from the East and experiment with a rice vinegar. The choice of ingredients doesn’t end with vinegar; the variety of different oils is just as extensive. Nut, fruit and vegetable oils such as walnut, avocado and rosemary are just a few of the choices available to you. If you are still looking for that defining ingredient you could replace the vinegar content with fruit juice which could include citrus juice or even apple juice.

When creating your own vinaigrette you will find that you need an agent which will help to combine the oil and vinegar, add extra flavor and give a certain amount of body to your dressing. There are many ingredients that will help you achieve this outcome but mustard is a firm favourite. Other suggested ingredients that can be added to vinaigrette are herbs which can be either fresh or dried, crushed garlic, nuts, diced shallots, and citrus fruits that have been chopped and diced.

Before creating your own recipe vinaigrette it is important to know that the each different type of olive oil can taste quite different to another depending on the region in which it is produced so it is always advisable to sample a little prior to use. You should also be aware that olive oil can spoil if not stored correctly. For best results olive oil should always be kept in an area that is cool and dark, whether it is in your kitchen or pantry.

Once you have chosen your desired ingredients you can prepare your vinaigrette dressing. Each serving should be about the size of one tablespoon. Ideally, vinaigrette should be served with your salad immediately but if not you can store in the refrigerator for up to fourteen days.
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