Plate O’Salad....

When the weather gets warmer I always dream of salads. I love to have them at least twice a week if possible. They allow you to have more than your five a day that you are supposed to have and they really are so cooling, especially on those really hot, summer days. Not that we have them often mind you here in England but one can remember! Last week it was one of those days where I had croutons to use up, sour cream that also needed to be used. So those ingredients immediately made me think of salad and blue cheese dressing.

I never was much of a dressing person. I used to only have the basic Italian at home in the US and even then I used it sparingly. But a friend of mine sent me this small cookbook which had a number of salad dressings in there. They didn’t contain any dreaded mustard (cannot stand that!) so this peaked my curiosity. J loves just about any dressing but English dressings are really strange. Very mayonnaise like and most we tried were bland or frighteningly too much vinegar. I think for the first few years here I ate my salad plain without dressing. I know what sadness!

So we tried a few of the recipes and as you could guess they have now become part of my staple of dressings that I keep handy for these quick warm days that we get. They are really so easy to make and they do keep. I think all but the blue cheese one will keep for at least 3-4 weeks in the fridge. I especially have kept the Soy Maple dressing for longer without any noticeable difference in taste from freshly made.

For me salad isn’t limited to the usual ingredients – I use whatever I have in the fridge. It all goes in and the more varied the better. I’ve grilled all manner of vegetables, steamed or stir-fried if that was what I felt like. I put in the usual items lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, small pasta, egg, apple, pear, grapes, etc. It’s anything you want and nothing you don’t want.

So go on – try making a dressing for yourself or your family – you might find something that really appeals to you and once you start.... Enjoy!

Dress that salad!

Hard to believe it but I used to eat salad dry. Yup, no dressing for me - remember I hate most condiments. Well at least the kinds you buy.

About two summers ago in a heat wave (well one hot day!) I made my usual plate salad. For me this is anything that I have left in the fridge and in it goes. So if I have some steamed veg, in. I might have some hard boiled eggs or left over bits of cheese - in. I also toss in some pasta usually small shapes that I can quickly cook on the hob in minutes without adding heat to the flat.

But we were stuck for dressings - no bottle in sight and J would not have this. I eat salad without mostly because I don't like mayo - most dressing have this in them. So off I trundle to cookbook shelf in search of something I can make that is easy and that I have the ingredients to hand. Up comes a gem of a recipe for maple dressing. Looked rather easy and with the heat looming it wasn't much of a bother either.

So that's how it began and we have since moved on to other delights. So I suppose I have to take it back that I hate condiments but I won't because I still do. I only like those that I make!

So what was the recipe you ask? Simple.

Maple Dressing

1 clove garlic (peeled and cut into quarters)
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons of cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
pepper to taste

In a jar combine all ingredients and shake well. Let stand for 3 hours to develop the flavours or overnight is even better. If you really like garlic up it to 2 or 3 cloves. If you can stand to keep it in the fridge for a few days the garlic is pickled (for lack of a better description) and is lovely on your salad - but not on the same day as you make it! Makes about 3/4 of a cup dressing.

This is a great dressing for most anything and it also is a good marinade too as I found out!

Parmesan dressing

1 clove garlic crushed or minced finely
juice of one lemon (throw in zest if you like too!)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/2 Parmesan cheese
pepper to taste

In a jar add the olive oil, vermouth, and lemon juice. Shake and then add your cheese and garlic. Shake again and season with pepper (you can add salt too but I find it doesn't need it) and let stand several hours or overnight for flavours to develop. This one again is better when it stands in the fridge for a day or two. This makes about a cup of dressing which for us lasts about 2-3 side salads.

Blue Cheese Dressing

2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons of sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Crumble cheese into bowl. Add sour cream and mayonnaise and stir until blended. Depending on the cheese and veining it can turn a light grey colour - don't worry - it will be lovely. This is enough to top two side salads or one large bowl.

Now, I can hear you all saying - but you hate mayo! I know I said I hate mayo but this dressing even for me is an exception (you will soon learn I'm full of contradictions and exceptions!) as I cannot taste it when mixed with the cream cheese. And if you are lucky to use Stilton then this too adds to the flavour. But I also only use Hellmanns as it is the only one I will tolerate all others are rubbish!

Next I'm going to try my hand at making Caesar dressing so I'll keep you posted but that's only if I don't keep finding blue cheese reduced! It seems since making this I find it now all the time! Makes like much more interesting as we have tried just about all of the major brands at a fraction of the cost.

So off you go - you know you have these ingredients in your larder. You now have no excuse - dress that salad!! Enjoy.