Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (15 page)
VINAIGRETTES 1–2–3
After making and testing hundreds of vinaigrettes both straight and on salads, we’ve arrived at a few conclusions. To start, ratios: For most green salads, a ratio of 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar works best. We might alter this ratio when the vinegar is unusually mild (like rice wine vinegar), when citrus juices are used, or when the dressing is heavily flavored by another ingredient that needs a good kick (such as tomatoes). And salads like
CHEF’S SALAD
benefit from an acidic dressing that cuts through the richness of the meat and cheese. Second, extra-virgin olive oil is our top choice for most vinaigrettes, except those that have strong Asian flavors. Third, we’ve found that simply shaking all the vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar with a sealed lid in the easiest method of making the dressing; there is no extra bowl or whisk to wash and you can store what is left over in the same jar. Most vinaigrettes last about a week in the refrigerator. Just bring the dressing to room temperature and shake vigorously to recombine before serving.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
To develop salad dressings with bold flavor, we relied on ingredients not usually used in dressings, such as apples, raisins, carrot juice, and ruby port. We balanced these ingredients with fats such as cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, nut oils, and yogurt and punctuated the mixture with condiments such as chili paste and orange marmalade. To give our dressings intense flavor, we reduced the wine and juices and toasted the spices.
MAKES
1¹⁄
2
CUPS
Crisp lettuces like iceberg and romaine are a perfect match for this creamy dressing. Shaved red onion, grape tomatoes, and crumbled bacon make excellent garnishes for greens tossed with this dressing. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of this dressing per 4 cups greens, serving two.
1 | avocado, halved and pitted |
1 | tablespoon lime juice |
¹⁄ | teaspoon hot sauce |
¹⁄ | cup buttermilk |
¹⁄ | cup mayonnaise |
1 | tablespoon minced red onion |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh cilantro |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
³⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
Puree avocado, lime juice, and hot sauce in food processor until avocado is broken down, about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and process until dressing is completely smooth. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
MAKES
1¹⁄
2
CUPS
If using a tart apple, add up to 1 tablespoon brown sugar. This dressing is nice on spicy greens like arugula and watercress with garnishes such as shaved Parmesan, toasted nuts, and thin slices of apple or fennel. Use about 2 tablespoons of this dressing per 4 cups greens, serving two.
1 | apple, cored, quartered, and cut into 1-inch cubes |
¹⁄ | cup fresh parsley leaves |
1 | scallion, sliced |
2 | tablespoons cider vinegar |
1 | teaspoon hot sauce |
³⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
2–3 | tablespoons water |
¹⁄ | cup vegetable oil |
Combine apple, parsley, scallion, vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in blender; pulse, scraping down blender jar and adding water as needed, until very finely chopped. With blender running, gradually add oil, scraping down blender jar as needed. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Mellow salad greens, as well as spinach, pair nicely with this vinaigrette. Olives, shredded carrots, and golden raisins are good garnish options. Use about 2 tablespoons of this dressing per 4 cups greens, serving two.
2 | tablespoons golden raisins |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground coriander |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cumin |
¹⁄ | cup carrot juice |
2 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
4 | sprigs fresh cilantro |
1 | tablespoon plain yogurt |
1 | teaspoon honey |
¹⁄ | teaspoon red pepper flakes |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | cup extra-virgin olive oil |
1.
Place raisins in small bowl. Toast coriander and cumin in 8-inch skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer spices to bowl with raisins. Wipe out skillet; add carrot juice to skillet and simmer over medium heat until reduced to ¹⁄
4
cup, about 6 minutes. Pour carrot juice over raisins; let cool to room temperature.
2.
Process carrot juice–raisin mixture, vinegar, cilantro, yogurt, honey, pepper flakes, and salt in blender until thoroughly combined. With blender running, gradually add oil, scraping down blender jar as needed. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Use this sweet, smooth dressing on assertive bitter greens such as escarole, radicchio, and endive. Appropriate salad garnishes include toasted nuts and crumbled blue cheese. For two servings, start with 1 tablespoon of this dressing per 4 cups greens, adding more as desired.
1¹⁄ | cups ruby port |
¹⁄ | cup orange juice |
2 | tablespoons red wine vinegar |
2 | tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature |
2 | tablespoons orange marmalade |
¹⁄ | teaspoon minced fresh thyme |
¹⁄ | teaspoon salt |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
¹⁄ | cup vegetable oil |
2 | tablespoons walnut oil |
1.
Simmer port and orange juice in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to ¹⁄
2
cup, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; let cool to room temperature.
2.
Whisk vinegar, cream, marmalade, thyme, salt, and pepper into cooled port reduction. Whisk in vegetable oil and walnut oil until incorporated. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week)
MAKES
1¹⁄
2
CUPS
We like this vinaigrette on soft, tender greens such as Boston or Bibb lettuce, mâche, or a mixture of baby greens. Complementary salad garnishes include thinly sliced radishes or cucumbers, bean sprouts, slivers of red bell pepper, and scallions. Use about 2 tablespoons of this dressing per 4 cups greens, serving two.
¹⁄ | cup rice vinegar |
¹⁄ | cup packed light brown sugar |
2¹⁄ | tablespoons soy sauce |
2 | teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce |
¹⁄ | teaspoon grated fresh ginger |
¹⁄ | cup vegetable oil |
1 | tablespoon toasted sesame oil |
2 | teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted |
Whisk vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, chili-garlic paste, and ginger in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk in vegetable oil and sesame oil; whisk in sesame seeds. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We found that the secret to good blue cheese dressing lay in the creamy components, which we narrowed down to three: mayonnaise to give the dressing body, sour cream to supply tang, and buttermilk both to thin out the dressing and to support the sour cream. We also added a little white wine vinegar for zing and just a bit of sugar to take off any harsh edge. As for the main ingredient—the cheese—we ruled out really pungent blue cheeses as too overpowering; a mild blue cheese works best. For the right chunky consistency, we mixed the crumbled blue cheese with the buttermilk before adding any other ingredients.
MAKES
³⁄
4
CUP
In a pinch, whole milk may be used in place of buttermilk. The dressing will be a bit lighter and milder in flavor, but will still taste good. We dressed a variety of different salad greens and found that delicate ones, such as mesclun and butterhead lettuce, became soggy under the weight of the dressing. Sturdy romaine and curly leaf lettuce were our two favorites. Remember that aggressive seasoning with salt and pepper is necessary because the dressing will be dispersed over the greens. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of this dressing per 4 cups greens, serving two.
2¹⁄ | ounces blue cheese, crumbled (¹⁄ |
3 | tablespoons buttermilk |
3 | tablespoons sour cream |
2 | tablespoons mayonnaise |
2 | teaspoons white wine vinegar |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
¹⁄ | teaspoon garlic powder |
Salt and pepper |
Mash blue cheese and buttermilk in small bowl with fork until mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Mayonnaise acts as a creamy binder and adds richness to any salad. Whisking transforms three thin liquids—vegetable oil, lemon juice, and egg yolk—into a thick, creamy sauce. But sometimes mayonnaise can “break” as the ingredients revert back to their original form. To keep mayonnaise from breaking, we whisked the egg yolk and lemon juice thoroughly and added the oil slowly to the mixture. We preferred the flavor of corn oil in our mayonnaise. Canola oil made a lighter-tasting mayonnaise and extra-virgin olive oil made a mayonnaise that was harsh and bitter.