Making a great salad involves some prep work, but it’s hardly rocket science. There are just a few hows to keep in mind: how to make a vinaigrette, how to season a dressing for a well-balanced salad, how to prep and store your greens, and how to dress your salad.
Within the category of salad dressings is a subset called vinaigrettes. We define a vinaigrette as a mixture of oil and vinegar, though sometimes citrus juice or another acidic ingredient supplements or replaces the vinegar. A vinaigrette is, when mixed and ready to use, an emulsion, which is a blend of two liquids—think oil and vinegar—that wouldn’t ordinarily combine. For most types of vinaigrettes, emulsifying the two components depends on breaking down the acidic ingredient into tiny, tiny droplets that will become suspended in the oil, transforming the two into a uniform sauce. Creating the necessary tiny droplets requires mechanical action, or more simply stated, some serious agitation.
This is where technique enters the picture. Since the dawn of salad-dom, the idea has been to combine all the ingredients except for the oil, which you then add gradually and very, very slowly, vigorously whisking all the while. If you’ve drizzled slowly enough and whisked hard enough, you’re rewarded with a silky vinaigrette in which the oil and vinegar are fully integrated.
This technique is tried and true, but there’s an easier way: using an impeccably clean, lidded glass jar. We favor adding the ingredients to a jar, tightly sealing the lid, and shaking like crazy, not unlike how a bartender shakes drink ingredients in a cocktail shaker. We do this in two stages. First, swirl the acid(s) and seasonings in the jar to help dissolve the salt (which doesn’t dissolve in oil), and then add the oil and shake to make the emulsion.
Some argue that this is a shortcut resulting in a harsher-tasting vinaigrette because the droplets are not as fine or as evenly dispersed as they would be with whisking. But our testing, tasting, and salad making has shown the difference to be slight and, to our palates, imperceptible once the vinaigrette is tossed with the greens.
In addition to being a whole lot easier—and, dare we say, more reliable—than the drizzle-and-whisk routine, using a jar offers several other advantages. First, you don’t have to worry about using your third hand—LOL!—to steady the mixing bowl while hand number-one pours and hand number-two whisks. Second, there’s no whisk or extra bowls to clean. Third, if you happen to have any leftover vinaigrette, it’s already in an airtight container for storage. Fourth, and perhaps most compelling, when the vinaigrette separates, and we guarantee it will because vinaigrette emulsions are unstable, it will come back together easily with just a little more shaking.
The classic vinegar-to-oil ratio for a standard vinaigrette is 1 to 3—that is, one part acid to three parts oil. We find that this is really just a suggestion, and we often alter the ratio. Just keep the following in mind: When sampled on a spoon, any dressing—vinaigrette or otherwise—should taste slightly too tangy and acidic, as well as slightly overseasoned with salt and pepper. The exaggerated flavors are then muted by the greens.
You may notice that many of the recipes in this book call for a sweetener of some sort. In some cases, sweetness is essential to the dressing’s taste profile. In other cases, we add a small measure of sugar, honey, or agave to create a lively interplay of flavors, but not necessarily to add a marked sweetness.
If you make salads frequently and don’t own a salad spinner, put down this book now and go purchase one. It will become your new best friend. There is simply no tool as effective as a salad spinner for drying greens after washing—and we cannot overemphasize the importance of well-dried greens to a good salad. Water clinging to leaves not only throws off the balance of the dressing and salad but it also prevents oil-based dressings from coating the leaves because, as we know, oil and water don’t mix.
Here are our recommendations for getting the most out of your salad spinner.
When dressing a salad, our recommendation is to go easy so the greens retain their integrity and don’t go listless under the weight of the dressing. Our very general guideline is to use 1 Tbsp of dressing for every 2 cups [30 to 65 g] of greens, but the amount may vary depending on the type of greens, the other salad components, the intensity and consistency of the dressing, and your preference (barely coated to completely drenched).
Delicate greens such as mesclun and baby arugula bruise easily, so use a light touch when tossing; clean hands are the gentlest and most effective tools, so save the tongs for sturdy greens. Here’s a tip if you’re tossing a large salad: Put half the greens in the mixing bowl, drizzle with some of the dressing, repeat with the remaining greens and dressing, and then toss. This technique helps minimize the degree to which you must handle the greens.
Once your salad is dressed, do a seasoning check by tasting a leaf or two. Even if you carefully seasoned your dressing, you’ll likely find that the salad needs a little more salt and pepper. We find that seasoning adjustment is almost a given.
Finally, whether you serve salad American-style as a first course, side dish, or main dish, or whether you hew to the European tradition of serving salad as a post–main course palate cleanser, don’t toss fresh greens with dressing in advance of bringing the salad to the table (the exception is raw kale salad; see page 64). Wait until the last possible moment so the leaves stay lively and perky.
A salad dressing that has been stored in the refrigerator should be brought to room temperature before use. This is easily accomplished by allowing it to stand on the counter for about 30 minutes, or by placing it, in its container, in a bowl of tepid water for 10 to 15 minutes. The Browned Butter Vinaigrette (page 72) and Bacon–Black Pepper Vinaigrette (page 71) should be warmed, uncovered, either in the microwave (for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring once or twice); in a small skillet over medium-low heat; or by placing the jar in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Once the dressing is fluid, give it a good shake or stir to recombine. Because a vinaigrette is a very unstable emulsion, if it’s left to stand for even just a few minutes, it will need to be recombined before use. So make sure to shake or whisk seconds before you dress your salad. Most of the dressings in this book can be stored for up to 3 days; Pomegranate Molasses–Walnut Oil Vinaigrette (page 54) and Miso Dressing with Ginger and Orange (page 61) will keep for up to 1 week.
The technique for making a classic Caesar salad includes rubbing the salad bowl with a clove of garlic. Is this just a romantic salad ritual, or is there something to this step?
As garlic lovers, we buy into this romantic ritual. You won’t get in-your-face flavor by rubbing the bowl with a garlic clove, but you will get a subtle aroma that can add nuance to a simple salad. If you try this technique, choose a salad bowl that has some texture on its interior surface—a wooden bowl is great, as is a ceramic bowl with a rough glaze, or even a much-used stainless-steel bowl with scratches. Halve the garlic clove, and then lightly smash the halves with the side of a chef’s knife to get the juices flowing. Rub the cut side of the garlic clove all over the inside of the bowl, pressing firmly as you go. If you like, rub your salad-tossing utensils, too.
