I don’t understand why people buy salad dressings. They are so easy to make, they’re fresh, adaptable to whatever is in the fridge or cupboard and there is no packaging to dispose of.

The simplicity of the “recipes” shows how little effort is required. Generally the method involves putting the ingredients into a jar and shaking.

Sweet Dressing

This is a great dressing to make in bulk and store in the fridge. It can be used in rice salads or my general cabbage salad.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic – finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp ginger – finely grated
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup malt vinegar
  • 3/4 cup olive oil

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk or a jar and shake. Add additional vinegar or olive oil to thin to taste.

Feta Marinade Dressing

This is made from the oil that Feta has been marinated in.

Method

Combine equal quantities olive oil from Feta marinade with equal quantities of white wine vinegar and white balsamic (if available) in a screw top jar.  Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Shake well

Tangello Vinaigrette

Just perfect on almost any salad. This is the reason I put a few tangelos in the freezer at the end of the season.

Ingredients

  • 100 ml olive oil
  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) fresh tangello juice
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • Salt & ground black pepper

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake. Add additional juice or olive oil to thin if necessary and shake again before dressing the salad.

Lemon Yoghurt Dressing

Method

  • A dollop of thickened yoghurt
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • some oil to make it a bit runny

Method

Stir it up. That’s it!

Yoghurt and Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake.

Thai Dressing

This is all about the balance of the flavours so it’s a good idea to actually measure the ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs of lime juice,
  • 2 tbs sugar (palm sugar is best),
  • 2 tbs fish sauce
  • 2 tbs rice wine vinegar
  • 1 finely chopped chilli, remove the seeds if it’s a hot one
  • bunch of finely chopped coriander. Store in a jar and shake before use.
  • Extra salt
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp of sesame oil

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Minted Yoghurt Dressing

This is so easy and can be used as a salad dressing or with thickened yoghurt it can be used as a side – goes particularly well with lamb and chicken or buffalo wings, or as a dipping sauce for crudites.

With the addition of a couple of chopped cucumbers it is tzatiki.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup yoghurt, prefereably thickened or at least the whey poured off if it is pot set.
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
  • Salt & pepper
  • Olive oil to thin if necessary

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Add additional lemon juice or olive oil to thin.

Vinaigrette dressing

Lots of ingredients but so good. Used on Lentil salad but goes with most anything.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp rice malt syrup or coconut sugar or maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp French mustard
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Method

Mix all ingredients together in a screw top jar. Shake well before using.

YANGNYEOMJANG SAUCE

This is a Korean Sauce used for fresh vegetable salads, to flavour meat and noodle dishes or as a dipping sauce for Korean pancakes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake.

SEAFOOD SAUCE 1

Personally I like my prawns with salt, a squeeze of lemon juice on freshly buttered white bread but for those who like to drown them in sauce this is quite a good one – not too strong that the taste is killed but with a bit of spice and a touch of lemon.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbs mayonnaise
  • 2 tbs yoghurt
  • 1 tbs brandy
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1 finely chopped seeded chilli
  • 1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
  • 1 tsp chopped garlic
  • tomato sauce – to make up to a good pink colour
  • Optional – bbq sauce or Worcestershire sauce
  • season to taste

Method

Mix all up together, season, serve.

 

SEAFOOD SAUCE 2

  • ½ cup mayonnaise – thinned with kefir
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tbs zucchini pickle or cucumber relish – well chopped
  • 1 teaspoon capers drained & chopped
  • 1 spring onion, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 teaspoon of hot sauce (Tabasco or siracha)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • Adjust taste, with extra lemon, salt or sugar

HOISIN SAUCE

I am now trying to empty the fridge of condiments – it will give me loads more room and get rid of some more processed ingredients. This is similar to the sauce served with Peking Duck and is so easy to make.

Probably almost Paleo, but if it’s not it has to be better than the bottled stuff and is so easy to make out of things in the cupboard – we reckon that it tastes better than the bottled one anyway.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp sriracha or other chilli sauce
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • 2 packs Miso soup sachets
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 4 tbs good soy sauce
  • 2 tbs coconut sugar or honey
  • 2 tsp Chinese rice wine vinegar

Method

Stir it all together. That’s it. So easy that you can make just enough for a meal, no leftovers.

Mint & Yogurt Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp yogurt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 large mint leaves chopped
  • salt & pepper, to taste.

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake.

Green Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • small handful of chopped parsley/chervil/tarragon comboj
  • 1 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake.

Orange & honey dressing

Ingredients

  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp runny honey
  • 1 tbsp orange or tangelo juice
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake.

Caesar salad dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 6 tbsp mild olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • salt & pepper, to taste

Method

I like to make this like I make a mayonnaise, with a stick mixer.

Put the oil, mustard and garlic in a tall narrow jug. Carefully put the egg yolk in the oil. Lower the stick mixer over the yolk and turn on. As the mix emulsifies gradually lift the mixer. It will be mayonnaise. Add more oil once it is homogeneous if desired.

Add the anchovies, lemon juice and seasoning and blitz for a few seconds more.

Miso dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sweet white miso
  • 3 tbsp sesame oil
  • juice from half a lime
  • salt, to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake.