Add some personality to your summer salad

Summertime practically begs for salads to be served. After all, nothing makes for a better salad than vegetables picked fresh from the garden or purchased at the farmers market.

Add some meat or cheese, if you like, or a few nuts and you’ve got a delicious side dish or meal.

But what is a salad without dressing?

Dressings add personality to any salad. It can be as simple as a splash of lemon juice to add an acidic edge or as elaborate as a Caesar or green goddess dressing with a plethora of ingredients.

In general, the key to a salad dressing is balance. Most dressings balance sweet, salt and acid and include one or more types of fat, such as oil, mayonnaise or yogurt.

Acid gives dressing its brightness and tang. Salad dressings include vinegar such as apple cider, red or white wine, sherry or champagne or a citrus juice like lemon or lime. You can also add pickle or sauerkraut brine.

Salt also adds brightness, softens the acid and makes the flavors in the dressing pop. You can use sea salt, as well as other salty ingredients like miso, anchovy paste or soy sauce.

Every salad dressing needs a little sweetness for balance, even if it isn’t a sweet dressing. Honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar all work in dressings — but remember, a little goes a long way.

Another element that most dressings need is umami. Known as the fifth taste, umami is best described as savory or meaty. It adds a bottom note to your dressing and ties all the flavors together. Ingredients that add umami include mustard, coconut aminos, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, miso and Parmesan cheese.

Remember that some ingredients can lend more than one element to dressing. For example, fish sauce adds saltiness and umami while lemon or orange juice adds acid and sweetness.

When making a dressing, add a few fresh herbs or a spice mix. To amp up the citrus flavors, add zest. Or add extra tang with briny elements such as capers, olives or cornichons.

Mix well and don’t forget to taste so you can adjust the seasonings as needed.

Following are some dressing recipes from thekitchn.com.

 

Raspberry Vinaigrette

1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

1/4 cup white wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar

1 small shallot, chopped very fine

1/2 cup olive oil

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Process raspberries, vinegar, shallot and olive oil in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If using raspberry vinegar without fresh berries, combine vinegar and shallot in a bowl. In a slow, steady stream, pour in olive oil while whisking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vinaigrette will keep refrigerated for a few weeks. Whisk to remix the vinaigrette before using.

 

 

 

Ginger Carrot Dressing

2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 medium shallot

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons white or light miso paste

1-1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon water

Place carrots, ginger, shallot, rice vinegar, miso, sesame oil and tamari or soy sauce in the bowl of a food processor or pitcher of a blender. Pulse until vegetables are finely chopped, about 10 pulses.

Turn on the processor or blender and slowly add the vegetable oil, then the water. Process three to four minutes, until smooth. The dressing should be slightly thick with a pulpy texture.

Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for as long as one week.

 

 

 

 

All-Purpose Vinaigrette

1 medium shallot or 1 clove garlic

1/2 cup vinegar or citrus juice

1/2 cup oil, such as olive, grapeseed or walnut

2 tablespoons liquid sweetener, such as honey, maple syrup or agave syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Finely mince shallot or garlic and place into a jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Add vinegar or citrus juice, oil, sweetener, Dijon mustard, kosher salt and black pepper. Seal jar and shake vigorously until well-combined and the sweetener is dissolved.

Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for as long as one week, until ready to use. Shake again before using.

 

 

Avocado Dressing

1 large ripe avocado

1 medium lemon or 2 medium limes

1/4 bunch fresh cilantro

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

2 peeled cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

Freshly ground black pepper, optional

Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor. Juice lemon or limes until you have two tablespoons juice, then pour juice over the avocado.

Tear the tender stems and leaves from the cilantro until you have 1/2 cup of tightly packed herb. Add to the blender.

Add olive oil, water, garlic cloves and kosher salt and blend or process, stopping and scraping down the sides of the pitcher or bowl occasionally, until smooth.

If dressing is too thick, blend in more water, a little at a time, until you reach desired consistency. Taste and season with more kosher salt, black pepper or lime or lemon juice as needed.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for as long as three days. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dressing before sealing the container to keep the dressing from browning.

 

 

 

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

2 medium limes

1 packed cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 small clove garlic

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice the limes until you have 1/4 cup. Place lime juice, cilantro leaves and tender stems, Greek yogurt, honey, coriander, kosher salt and garlic clove in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or blender. Pulse to combine.

With the machine running, slowly pour in olive oil and process about one minute, until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for as long as one week.

 

 

Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 clove garlic

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 to 2 tablespoons cold water, as needed

Place rice vinegar, olive oil, tahini and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.

Finely grate garlic clove into the dressing. Add kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and ground turmeric and whisk to combine.

If too thick, whisk in one to two tablespoons cold water until creamy and pourable.

 

 

 

The Easiest Caesar Dressing

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

Place lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, Dijon mustard and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth, about 20 seconds.

With the motor running, remove the inner cap of the lid and slowly pour in 1/4 cup olive oil. After adding all of the oil, continue to blend about 30 seconds, until creamy and emulsified.

Dressing can be made three days in advance and refrigerated. Let the dressing come back to room temperature before using.

 

 

Honey Mustard Dressing

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup honey

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard,kosher salt and black pepper in a small bowl or small jar. Whisk or seal the jar and shake to combine.

Add olive oil. Whisk vigorously or seal the jar and shake until combined and emulsified.

Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for as long as one week. Rewhisk before using.

 

 

 

Green Goddess Dressing

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup olive oil

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves

2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 clove garlic, chopped

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

Kosher salt

Pulse egg yolk, Dijon mustard and lemon juice in a blender with a few quick pulses. Turn blender on and drizzle in oil in a thin, steady stream. Continue to blend until the mixture is light in color and thick.

Stop the blender and scrape down the sides. Add parsley, chives, tarragon, anchovy paste and garlic. Blend until smooth and vibrant green.

Place Greek yogurt or sour cream in a medium bowl. Add herb mayonnaise and stir to combine.

Taste the dressing and add additional salt if desired.

Serve as a dip for crudité or as a dressing for salads.

Dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about one week.

 

 

Classic Greek Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 ounce Greek sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled, optional

3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, optional

Place all the ingredients in a pint glass jar.  Seal the jar and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds, until emulsified.

Use immediately or refrigerate for as long as one week, shaking to emulsify again before use.