Oils

As with vinegar, there is a huge variety of oils to choose from. The less flavoursome ones – and therefore those to use when you want the ‘salad ingredients’ to stand out as the heroes of the dish – include sunflower, grape seed, light olive oil and what is often termed ‘vegetable salad oil’.

Nut oils, most commonly walnut, hazelnut, almond and peanut (groundnut) oil add flavour, although almond and peanut (groundnut) oils are very subtle. There are also toasted nut oils on the market, which have a more pronounced flavour. These can sometimes be a little overbearing in a dressing, however, so you may want to dilute them with some plain oil. Toasted sesame oil has a wonderful flavour but you do need to use it sparingly. Argan oil is less commonly known but is a delicious oil well worth looking for. It’s expensive, which won’t help it become popular any time soon, but the process by which it is produced in Morocco is incredibly time consuming. If you see it and feel like splashing out, then do try it in a simple salad dressing for green leaves – I guarantee you’ll be intrigued by its sweet nutty flavour.