by Katerina Nikolas

Created on: March 29, 2010   Last Updated: October 29, 2010

I adore salads yet perversely cannot tolerate them naked. An undressed lettuce leaf is strangely inedible. Salad dressings make salads sexy yet I have no desire to fight with a bottle of something store bought which clings to the edges and has the propensity to curdle. Anyone who enjoys lots of fresh salads will appreciate the variety of different salad dressings. With a few basics on hand in the kitchen they can be whipped up in less time than it takes to shake a lettuce.

The essential things to have on hand are extra virgin olive oil, a variety of vinegars to suit your palate such as balsamic or red wine vinegars, lemons, seasonings, French mustard and mayonnaise. You can make salad dressings exactly to your own taste by simply sampling as you create. There are no rules to follow. You can make as much as you need for one salad or make more and store it in the fridge. I tend to make fresh each time as I never know which one I’ll fancy day by day.

1.The Ultimate Salad Dressing:Extra Virgin Olive Oil: That’s it, pure and simple, golden elixir fresh from the olive groves. Some salads really don’t need anything more. Greek salad is dressed only with olive oil, as is red kidney beans with red onions. A fresh tomato salad is perfection with nothing but rock salt, basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil.

2. French dressing: Combine ½ teaspoon of French mustard with  2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar and 6 tablespoons of  olive oil, salt and pepper, beat or shake.

3. Creamy salad dressing: Combine 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise with a little tomato puree for color, salt and pepper, 6 tablespoons of olive oil, and an optional addition of tabasco sauce if you like it hot. Excellent stirred into  a salad with prawns.

4.Balsamic dressing:Simply combine a good balsamic vinegar, seasoning and extra virgin olive oil.

5.Dressing for roasted salad vegetables: 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar combined with 6 tablespoons of olive oil makes a wonderful marinade for vegetables such as roasted red pepper, a wonderful salad.

6.Lemon dressing: Simply mix fresh lemon juice and seasoning with olive oil. This is perfect for salads of shredded cabbage and carrots, topped with olives.

There is no set rule to salad dressings but the simpler the better works best, allowing the flavours of the salad to shine through the dressing. Anchovies and herbs such as basil, oregano, parsley and thyme can be added as you like but I find they work best as an actual salad addition with the dressing added last.

Learn more about this author, Katerina Nikolas.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.