Who wants to eat the same old salad dressing every day? Vinaigrette is a basic formula (essentially, just vinegar and olive oil) to which you can add many different ingredients to make a new and different salad dressing. Here are some variations on the basic vinaigrette:
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Replace 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with 2 tablespoons of walnut or hazelnut oil to give the vinaigrette a distinctive, nutty flavor. Serve with mixed green salads or salads with grilled poultry.
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Add 1 teaspoon drained capers and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil, tarragon, basil, or lemon thyme. This herby vinaigrette really enlivens a cold pasta salad.
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Place one small ripe tomato in a blender or food processor container with the rest of the dressing and blend well.
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To thicken the vinaigrette, combine it in a blender with 1 to 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese.
Lowfat ricotta enriches just like cream, with far fewer calories.
