Chapter 21 - part 1Chapter 21 - part 1

Salad DressingsCopyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Salad Dressings

• Definition:

• A sauce for a salad

• Objective:

• Compliment, not mask, the flavour of the food

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Salad Dressings

Most of the basic salad dressings used today can be divided into three categories:

1. Oil and vinegar dressings

• Most un-thickened dressings.

2. Mayonnaise-based dressings

• Most thickened dressings.

3. Cooked dressings

• Similar in appearance to mayonnaise dressings, but more tart, and with little or no oil content.

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Salad Dressings

• Quality ingredients = Quality dressing

• Composition =

Oil + Acid + Flavour

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Ingredients

Salad Dressings

Oils - tasteless, neutral • Corn oil

• Cottonseed Oil

• Soybean Oil

• Canola Oil

• Safflower Oil

• Vegetable or Salad Oil

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Ingredients

• Peanut Oil - mild flavour, expensive

• Walnut Oil - distinct flavour, expensive,

• Olive Oil - fruity, greenish, virgin or extra virgin from first pressings, strong

Oils - distinct flavours

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Oils• Peanut Oil - mild flavour, expensive

Walnut Oil - distinct flavour, expensive

Olive Oil - fruity, greenish, virgin or

extra virgin from first pressings, strong

Salad Dressings

Oils

Quality Factors:

• All-purpose oils for dressings should have a mild, sweet flavour.

• Rancidity can ruin an entire batch of dressing.

• Strongly flavoured oils are not appropriate with every food.

• Winterized oil should be used with dressings that are to be refrigerated.

• Treated so they remain a clear liquid when chilled.

• Waxes and impurities removed to allow higher melting point

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Ingredients

Vinegars• Cider Vinegar - apples

• White or Distilled Vinegar - neutral

• Wine Vinegar- red or white wine flavour, goes well with olive oil

• Flavoured Vinegars - herbs, fruit, pepper, garlic

• Sherry Vinegar - sherry wine, pair with nut oils

• Balsamic Vinegar - wine vinegar aged in wooden barrels, pairs well with nut oils

✴ True balsamic made from grapes and aged in barrels

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Ingredients

Vinegars

• Quality Factors:

• Should have a good, clean, sharp flavour for their type.

• Strength of acidity determines the tartness of the vinegar and of the dressing made from it.

• Most salad vinegars have approximately 5 percent acidity.

• Some range as high as 7 or 8 percent. ( ie. pickling vinegar)

• Vinegar that is too strong should be diluted with a little water before it is measured for a recipe.

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Ingredients

Lemon Juice

• Fresh lemon juice may be used in place of or in addition to vinegar.

Egg Yolks

• Egg yolk is an essential ingredient in mayonnaise and other emulsified dressings.

Seasonings and Flavourings

• Nearly any herb or spice can be used in salad dressings

• Dried herbs and spices need extra time to release their flavours if they are not heated in the product.

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Ingredients

Salad Dressings

A uniform mixture of two unmixable liquids is called an emulsion.

• One liquid is said to be in suspension in the other.

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Emulsions in Salad Dressings

Temporary Emulsions

• A simple oil-and-vinegar dressing is called a temporary emulsion.

• Because the two liquids always separate after being shaken or beaten together.

• The vinegar is broken into tiny droplets.

• The vinegar droplets are mixed evenly, or suspended, throughout the oil.

• The harder the mixture is beaten or shaken, the longer it takes for it to separate.

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Emulsions in Salad Dressings

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Stabilizers

• Ingredients that slow the separation of temporary dressings

• Mustards• Spices and finely chopped herbs• Food processor

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Permanent Emulsions

• Mayonnaise is also a mixture of oil and vinegar; the two liquids do not separate

• This is because the formula also contains egg yolk, (lecithin) which is a strong emulsifier.

• The egg yolk forms a layer around each of the tiny droplets and holds them in suspension.

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Emulsions in Salad Dressings

Basic Vinaigrette

• Mixture of oil, vinegar, and seasonings.

• Usually the base for other dressings.

• The ratio of oil to vinegar in a basic vinaigrette is:

• 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar

• Some chefs prefer a 2:1 ratio

• Others prefer a 4:1 or even 5:1 ratio.

• Less oil makes the dressing more tart, while more oil makes it taste milder and oilier.

• To make a good emulsion, mix some mustard with the vinegar. 12

• Mayonnaise is the most important emulsified dressing.• Often, it serves as the base for a wide variety of other

dressings.

• Homemade mayonnaise is not as stable as the commercial product.• Shelf life of 2-3 weeks in refrigerator

• By carefully selecting your ingredients you can make a superior-tasting product.

✴ HOW DO YOU SAVE SPLIT MAYO???13

Emulsified Dressings

Salad Dressings

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Whip the egg yolks until light. Whip in the first quantity of vinegar and seasonings.

Slowly pour in the oil in a thin stream, whipping constantly.

The finished mayonnaise should be thick enough to hold its shape.

Emulsified Dressings

**One egg yolk can emulsify 240 ml of oil

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Rouxbe Video and Quiz

http://rouxbe.com/cooking-school/lessons/142-salad-dressing-vinaigrette-basics

• Cooked dressings: Made with little or no oil and with a starch thickener.

• Similar in appearance to mayonnaise, but with a more tart, strong flavour.

• Sour cream-based dressings.

• Fruit juice-based dressings.

• Yogurt dressings (for fruit salads).

• Low-calorie dressings.

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Other Dressings

Salad Dressings

Dressings should:• Have well-balanced flavours.

• Have a pleasant tartness.

• Harmonize with and complement the salad with which they are served.

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Standards of Quality