Dressings

A dressing can make or ruin a salad. A simple dressing (oil and vinegar) helps moisten the salad, but a more complicated one can be the highlight. A dressing has to be in balance; that means the acidity and the oiliness need to work in harmony. However, you also need to think of the components in the dish – if you’re using chunks of citrus fruit or grapes roasted with verjus or tamarind, then the dressing should not be too acidic or it’ll make the whole dish way too sharp on the tongue. Likewise, if you’re making a dressing to go with artichokes that are braised in olive oil, then make sure it isn’t too oily or you will drown the dish in oil. When making a dressing, you can either whisk everything together in a small bowl or, which is even easier, simply put the ingredients in a jar, screw the lid on tight, then shake it all together.