How to… make salad dressings

It is so easy and cheap to go out and buy what you need ready made, so do we really need to make our own? Of course we do, not only because it tastes better but also because you control the ingredients and their freshness! Clew’s Alison show you how to!

How to… make salad dressings

Bored of salads? Could it be that you are not bored of the salad but actually the salad dressing?

Just because we are heading away from summer doesn’t mean we should drop the salads! Try adding a kick to your dressing with fresh chili, ginger, lemon, orange or clementine juice to zing up your salad and veg! Also experiment with different vinegars and oils. Add chopped fresh mint, and other fresh herbs to your salad. Think of fruit such as fresh mango, orange, apple or pear.

Photo: Lisa Fuchs

Use cheeses such as feta, manchego, blue cheese (especially with pear and walnut, my personal favourite). Use other proteins such as prawns, salmon, left over roast pork, chicken or beef. Add some crunch with chopped celery stalks or thinly sliced brussel spouts.

Here are a few different salad dressings to get you back in the mood:

Asian dressing

• 40ml sesame oil
• 30g cashew nuts
• 25g cashew nut butter
• 20ml tamari sauce
• juice of 2 limes
• 40ml rice wine vinegar
• 10ml agave nectar (or honey)

Blitz together in a blender adding a drop of water to loosen it if necessary

Honey Lime Cumin dressing

• 1 small clove of garlic
• kosher salt
• 3 tblsp fresh lime juice
• 3 tblsp fresh orange juice
• 2 tsp finely chopped shallot
• 1 tblsp honey, more to taste
• ¾ tsp cumin seeds toasted and finely ground
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with the ¼ tsp salt. Whisk garlic paste with both juices, shallot, honey and cumin. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream until blended. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and honey.

Photo: Lisbeth Ganer

Chili and Ginger dressing

• 2cm fresh chopped ginger
• 1 red chili finely chopped
• 1 ¼ dl lemon juice
• 2/3 dl maple syrup
• 2 tblsp tamari sauce
• 2 ½ dl peanut or cashew nut butter

Blitz chili and garlic in a blender, add next three ingredients and blitz again, add nut butter until you get the thickness you like.

Caramelised lemon and yogurt dressing

• 1 lemon
• 3 tblsp natural yogurt
• 4 tblsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• dash of soy or tamari sauce
• salt and pepper

Cut the lemon in half and place cut side down in a frying pan on a medium heat. Cook gently to caramelize and soften. Remove from the heat, squeeze the juice and leave to cool.

Whisk together with the other ingredients and season to taste

Balsamic vinegar and lime dressing

• 2tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp light agave nectar or honey
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 100ml olive oil

Simple and delicious: Whisk the vinegar, agave/honey and lime juice together in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Photos: Lisbeth Ganer

Tomato dressing

• 1 large tomato
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 1 finely chopped shallot
• salt and pepper

Slice the tomato in half and grate down to the skin (discard the skin). Whisk in the remaining ingredients and season to taste with the salt and pepper.

Carrot dressing

• 120ml carrot juice
• 60ml almond or walnut oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 chapped and mashed garlic clove
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp salt and pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together.

Enjoy!

Text by Alison Korter-Lacki and photos by Lisbeth Ganer and Lisa Fuchs, November 2015.