Searching for the Well-Dressed Salad

Oscar Wilde was once quoted with this analogy: “To make a good salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist –– the problem is to know exactly how much oil one must put with one’s vinegar.”

There are many “tricks to the trade” when it comes to making a good salad – the more dark greens, reds, oranges, and yellows you use, the healthier it is.

A colorful, nutritious salad is a perfect way to go, but your choice of salad dressing, however, can make or break the taste and will wreak havoc on “healthy.”

I read something recently that makes a lot of sense: “Top a salad with a tasteless dressing and your salad goes to WASTE on the plate. Drench salads with a high-calorie dressing and they go to WAIST on YOU!”

For great taste while keeping track of fat and calories, here are a few suggestions and recipes for success.

Dry Greens Thoroughly: Dressing slides off damp salad greens and collects at the bottom. You’ll get more flavor with less dressing if salad greens are washed and thoroughly dried.

If you need to wash salad greens, the easiest way to dry them is in a salad spinner. After spinning, pat off remaining moisture with clean paper towels. If you don’t have a spinner, dry greens thoroughly with clean paper towels.

Avoid Adding More Salad Dressing Than You Need: Believe it or not, nutrition experts tell us that each serving of salad greens should have only about one tablespoon of dressing on it.

Experiment with Vinegars and Bottled Vinaigrettes: A classic French vinaigrette is typically three to four parts oil (usually olive oil) and one part acid (frequently red wine vinegar). Seasonings include salt, pepper, and often Dijon mustard and/or garlic. You may be able to use less oil and more acid ingredient if you use one of the following in your dressing: rice vinegar; white wine vinegar; raspberry, blueberry or other fruit vinegar; champagne vinegar; lemon, lime or orange juice. Start experimenting by beginning with two parts oil to one part vinegar or citrus juice.

Once you make your own dressings, it may be hard to return to purchased salad dressing. You have more control over the fat, salt and other ingredients, as well as the taste, in homemade dressings. But it may be worthwhile to find some bottled salad dressings, especially reduced-fat ones, that you enjoy.

Don’t rush – add dressings to salad greens immediately before serving for best quality and taste..