We are such a salad family, even if there is a vegetable on the table, even if there are two, or even three vegetables as part of a meal, there is still always a salad in my house.
Here’s how we rank in order of Saladlove (which, if I ever become a performer, will possibly be my stage name. With all due appreciation to Questlove, who inspired my very cool possible new performing name).
#1 – Me, hardly ever having met a salad I didn’t like, and making salad one of my top 6 dessert island foods.
#2 – Jack, who as a teenager actually makes himself salads even when no one is home (by salad, I mean torn up romaine lettuce, with about a cup of balsamic vinegar, and feta and olives if I have not failed him with my lax fridge replenishment)
#3 – Gary: solid salad lover
#4 – Charlie. A bit sporadic, though always down with our classic house salad of chopped romaine hearts and a good, tart vinaigrette.
We are mostly a vinaigrette family, though I do love a creamy dressing from time to time and we love a Japanese gingery dressing (if you haven’t tried the Ranch Dressing or the Japanese Restaurant Dressing in the Mom 100, I have to suggest that you do). As to the vinaigrettes we make, we like a strong sauce, as my friend Pam would say. A bracing vinaigrette. If you prefer something gentler, just add a bit more olive oil, and possibly cut back a bit on shallot and garlic-type ingredients, and other items like Dijon mustard.
Vinaigrettes are infinitely adaptable, and you can’t screw them up, because you can always add more of something to get to the flavor and balance you like. No rules. Zero rules.
I play around with vinaigrettes all the time, but I also know that sometimes you want to repeat something that you (and definitely your kids) really liked. And I also know that some people really just want a recipe, not dreamy, chatty, unfocused writing about how easy and flexible vinaigrettes are. I thank you for sticking with me. And now I will reward you with 3 Great (and really Simple) Green Salads, complete with 3 Vinaigrette Recipes.
(But I still have to say, play around with the proportions as you like, mix and match the greens, and also mention that all of these dressing would make lovely marinades, or be nice drizzle over some simply cooked vegetables. Sorry, I just can’t help it. And, now, the recipes).
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