Tuesday, January 12, 2010

peekfrostings

Homemade Salad Dressing - Mustard, Onion, and Maple

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Growing up, my dad made homemade salad dressings. He would mix together mayo, mustard, cocktail sauce, and some spices and - poof! - we had a homemade dressing that was better than any store-bought Thousand Island dressing I've tasted. I learned from him that salad dressing doesn't have to come in a bottle. As an adult, I've concocted all sorts of different homemade salad dressings. One of my favorite homemade salad dressings (although quite pricey) is a simple mixture of saba (a sweet and thick aged balsamic) and truffle oil.

For this month's Taste & Create, I was paired with Megan of A Bolder Table. Megan had a recipe for a cipollini onion, mustard, and maple salad dressing that not only sounded complex and appealing, but also seemed like a flavor combination that would make for a very interesting cupcake (it did).

What is a Cipollini Onion?

Cipollini onions are some of the babies of the onion world - they fit in the palm of your hand.

My love of things small extends beyond tiny cakes; I also have a particular affection for these mini onions.

As far as taste goes, cipollini onions are mild and they are sweeter than some other varieties of onions. If you can't find cipollini onions in your local markets, I would recommend using a yellow onion. One large yellow onion would be about the same size as the four cipollini onions that this recipe calls for.

Mustard, Onion, and Maple Salad Dressing Recipe

Megan's mustard onion and maple salad dressing recipe was more of a recipe framework than an actual recipe. She lists the ingredients that she used and indicated which ones she used more than others, but not the exact proportions. Below, you'll find the exact proportions that I used. Jonathan is already begging me to make this homemade salad dressing again, and since it's far healthier than a cupcake, I probably should.

Makes enough for four small bowls of salad
  • 4 cipollini onions
  • 3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 T whole grain mustard
  • 2 T maple syrup
  • 2 t apple cider vinegar
  • 2 t soy sauce
  • 1 t hot sauce (I used Sriracha sauce.)
  1. Finely chop the onion and saute in the olive oil until fragrant and golden brown.
  2. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Transfer to food processor and process until thick and pasty.
  4. Put all other ingredients in the processor and blend until combined.
  5. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

3 comments:

  1. Homemade salada dressing is so easy to make and tastes so much better than the stuff off the shelf. This one looks fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks amazing! I think you've pushed me to finally try making my own salad dressing especially with Spring veggies around the corner.

    Thanks for sharing,

    { Lindsey }
    greatfullday.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. For easy to make homemade salad dressings, we love this recipe from the Columbia Restaurants out of Florida:
    http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/recipe.asp?FeaturedItemID=2

    Salad Ingredients

    ½ head iceberg lettuce
    2 ripe tomatoes, cut in eighths
    ½ cup Swiss cheese, cut in julienne strips
    ½ cup ham, cut in julienne strips (or turkey or shrimp)
    ¼ cup green Spanish olives, pitted
    2 teaspoons grated Romano cheese

    Salad Dressing Ingredients

    1/8 cup white wine vinegar
    ½ cup extra-virgin Spanish olive oil
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1 teaspoon oregano
    2 teaspoons lemon juice

    Preparation

    Toss together all salad ingredients in a bowl, except Romano Cheese.

    Mix garlic, oregano, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Beat until smooth with a wire whisk. Add olive oil, gradually beating to form an emulsion. Stir in vinegar and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

    Add dressing to salad and toss well. Add Romano Cheese and toss one more time. Serves 4.

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