Salad dressing: thinking outside the bottle
Regina Murphy
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Salad days are almost over, but there’s still time to get some fresh local produce to build a tasty salad with. If you have any luck growing lettuce, you can have fresh salad greens year round in a sunny window in your home.
Making your own salad dressing at home can be a special way to show you care about the people you’re feeding, and it just might save you some calories, carbohydrates and cash in the process.
Blake Eyman came across a nifty old paperback cookbook called “Women’s Circle: Cooking with Taste,” and he pointed out all the different dressings in there. I chose a few to share with you today.
MASON JAR DRESSING
1 can condensed tomato soup
3/4 cup herb salad vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. onion juice
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 - 1/2 cups salad or olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
Sift together dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into a mason jar, then add dry ingredients. Cover tightly with lid and shake well. Add a little Worcestershire sauce or dill pickle juice for added zest.
This next one says it’s famous, but it doesn’t say why. It’s certainly sweet!
FAMOUS FRUIT
SALAD DRESSING
1 cup sweet cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Salt to taste
Beat cream until slightly thickened; add remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate overnight to thicken. “Delicious on Spinach salad, too!”
This next one can double as a dip for seafood or a spread to go with ham.
TANGY LOUIS
DRESSING
(makes 4 cups, can be halved)
2 cups mayonnaise
1-1/2 cups chili sauce
1/3 cup minced celery
1/3 cup minced sour pickles
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
Combine all ingredients, stirring well; chill. Store covered in refrigerator.
The cottage cheese in this dressing gives it a great body. Use the onion and garlic to taste. This might be a good one to build tuna fish salad with.
CREAMY LOW-CAL DRESSING
(Makes 2 cups)
1/2 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1-1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
Place all ingredients in a blender in the order listed above. Blend on medium speed until smooth, about one minute. Cover and refrigerate. Take that, Kraft and Seven Seas!
This next one is so rich and delicious; very aromatic, too. Use the best balsamic vinegar you can afford. You can’t really store this, so it makes just enough for a salad for four.
BALSAMIC VINEGAR DRESSING
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. diced onion
Heat a sauté pan and add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring, and once the sugar is dissolved, add the onion. Reduce until halved. Drizzle your salad with the warm balsamic sauce and serve immediately.
There is a lot of outdoor food going on this weekend. First, the Harvest Festival at the Farmer’s Market will have freshly pressed hot apple cider, baked goods, and food from Wheat State Pizza. I believe Bad Ol’ Bern’s will be there to take orders for holiday turkeys. There are tons of apples at market right now, as well as gourds, pumpkins, fresh eggs and the last of the summer produce. The Granada Theatre will be open for tours, and you can grab a cup of joe from the Granada Coffee Company or some fudge from Sweet Granada!
Later in the day is the Pioneer Bluffs Hog Roast down at Matfield Green. All the details are on the events calendar at goemporia.com or emporiagazette.com
Speaking of apples and vinaigrettes, here’s another salad dressing for you.
This vinaigrette is pretty, flecked with parsley and basil. The dry mustard and black pepper add a touch of heat to the sweet of the apples and honey. This dressing goes with fruit salads as well as green salads.
APPLE VINAIGRETTE
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
3 whole fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. honey
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Combine parsley, vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, basil, honey, salt, dry mustard and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. What could be simpler? Makes about one cup.
Have you looked into the cooking classes at Flint Hills Technical College? Baker Bonnie Starr is going a four-part series on how to bake professional cakes. Lacey Whetstone is doing a cultural food tour of Korean Cuisine. I’m teaching two classes--how to make sushi at home, and three different types of eggrolls: Thai, Philippino and Chinese. It’s going to be fun! Call 343-4600 for details.
Next week we’ll have some tasty rice recipes. I managed to survive judging three different competitions at the American Royal, and will deliver a full report on October 22.
It’s time for our annual Halloween recipe column--do you have some new, ghoulish treats to share with all of us? Send them in to 517 Merchant, Emporia, Kans., 66801 or murphysmenu@yahoo.com. Let’s Get Cooking!
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