Store-bought salad dressing never ceases to disappoint me. Every time I enter the grocery store I stare down at my basket and say, No sauces this time. The last three sucked, and so did the fifteen before them. You’ve got way too many bottles in your refrigerator to justify another $4 purchase of modified food starch and sugar. Enough is enough.
But any practicing capitalist knows that enough is never enough. There’s always a new variety to taste, a new marketing scheme to fall victim to, and I am always more than happy to do so. So I buy the bottle. I pour it on a bowl of mixed greens when I get home. I take a bite. It tastes surprisingly like sugar and modified food starch.
A few years ago I stopped buying store-bought salad dressing. It probably had to do with a certain desire to eat healthier, compounded by a desire to elevate my cooking to another level of “from-scratch” authenticity. Whatever the case, I stopped. And I was left with a myriad of oils and vinegars I’d never paid attention to before. Things that would completely and utterly change my relationship with food.
blackberry lime [left] + strawberry jalapeño [right]
Today’s recipes demonstrate that a little creativity can go a long way in the kitchen. They are simple-yet-profound blends of vinegars, fruits, herbs, and spices exploding with fresh, clean flavors. Add a few tablespoons to your favorite mixed green salad or use them as a dipping sauce for tomorrow’s sandwich.
If you’re too lazy to make them yourself, that’s perfectly fine. I’m offering them for sale through my latest culinary project: Rock Rose Provisions. Check out our website for gift ideas and maybe some inspiration for your own recipes.
Blackberry Lime Vinaigrette:
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 cups red wine vinegar
juice and zest of 2 limes
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Add to a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
Strawberry Jalapeño Vinaigrette:
1 cup fresh strawberries
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 jalapeño, seeded and rinsed
juice and zest of 2 limes
1/4 cup sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: Place all ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth. Add to a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
