Best dressed: 50 recipes, endless salad inspiration

115 Pages·2016·30.148 MB·English

by  Ried, Adam;Yanagihara, Dawn

BEST
DRESSED
50 Recipes, Endless Salad Inspiration
Dawn Yanagihara & Adam Ried
Photographs by Nicole Franzen
Text copyright © 2016 by Dawn Yanagihara and Adam Ried.
Photographs copyright © 2016 by Chronicle Books LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without
written permission from the publisher.
ISBN 9781452159003 (epub, mobi)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Names: Yanagihara, Dawn, author. | Ried, Adam, author.
Title: Best dressed : 50 recipes, endless salad inspiration /
by Dawn Yanagihara and Adam Ried.
Description: San Francisco, CA : Chronicle Books, [2016] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2015049121 | ISBN 9781452155142 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Salad dressing. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.
Classification: LCC TX819.S27 Y36 2016 | DDC 641.81/4—dc23 LC record
available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2015049121
Designed by Alice Chau
Photographs by Nicole Franzen
Food styling by Erin Quon
Prop styling by Kira Corbin
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
FROM DAWN FROM ADAM
For creating such a beaut of a cookbook, I’d like You could say that my part in this book results
to thank the terrific and wonderfully talented from doctor’s orders. A few years back I wrote a
team at Chronicle Books—Sarah Billingsley, book on milkshakes, which, over the course of a
Deanne Katz, Alice Chau, Doug Ogan, Sara Golski, summer, occasioned the consumption of . . .
Tera Killip, Ellen Wheat, and Steve Kim. Sarah was ahem . . . a lot of milkshakes. In the fall, I had my
our editor extraordinaire, and to her I owe a huge annual physical, including blood tests for choles-
debt of gratitude for the opportunity to write terol and triglycerides and such. With the results
this book. Nicole Franzen, Erin Quon, and Kira in hand, my doctor, Ricardo Wellisch, looked me
Corbin brought the recipes to life and made straight in the eye and said, “Now how about
humble dressings and salads look stunning. a book on lettuce and lemon juice?” While you
won’t find plain lettuce and lemon juice in this
Adam Ried is the best coauthor one could ask
book, it’s still a big step in the right direction.
for, and I consider myself fortunate to have
Here’s to you, Dr. Wellisch!
had the chance to collaborate with him. Sandra
Wu is a recipe-testing pro on whom I count A monster thanks, of course, to Dawn—friend,
every time—a big thank-you goes out to her. palate, opportunity maker, and co-conspirator
Last, but certainly not least, I’d like to thank my par excellence. Thanks also to Sandra Wu for
mom, Barbara Yanagihara, and my better half, spot-on recipe testing and all-around loveliness,
Christyan Mitchell, for all their support through- to my sister Amanda Hewell and my brother Josh
out the years. Ried for their love and support, and our rockin’
Chronicle team—editor Sarah Billingsley, Deanne
Katz, managing editors Doug Ogan and Sara
Golski, designer Alice Chau, Ellen Wheat, Tera
Killip, Steve Kim, Nicole Franzen, Erin Quon, and
Kira Corbin—for bringing the book to life with
style and care.
CONTENTS
9 INTRODUCTION BOLD
10 INGREDIENTS
49 Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
19 EQUIPMENT
50 Black Olive–Balsamic Vinaigrette
20 TECHNIQUES
53 Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette
BRIGHT
54 Pomegranate Molasses–Walnut Oil
Vinaigrette
25 Classic French Vinaigrette
55 Orange, Caramel, and Sherry Vinegar
26 Apple Cider, Grainy Mustard, and Shallot
Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette
57 Charred Onion and Sumac Vinaigrette
29 Citrus, Honey, and Rosemary Vinaigrette
58 Pinot Noir Vinaigrette
30 Fresh Mint Vinaigrette
59 Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette
31 Pear Vinaigrette with Walnut Oil and
Champagne Vinegar 60 Southeast Asian–Style Lime Dressing
32 Pineapple, Coriander, and Lime Vinaigrette 61 Miso Dressing with Ginger and Orange
35 Sharp-and-Sweet-with-a-Little-Bit-of-Heat 62 Wafu Dressing
Peppadew Vinaigrette
64 Kale Salad with Pine Nuts, Prosciutto
36 Sweet and Tangy Chia Seed Dressing Crisps, and Lemon-Parmesan Vinaigrette
37 Carrot-Ginger Dressing with Soy and Sesame 66 Grilled Steak and Radicchio Salad with
Asian Pear and Pinot Noir Vinaigrette
38 Mango–Red Curry Dressing
68 Spinach, Delicata Squash, and Apple Salad
41 Charred Tomatillo and Cilantro Dressing
with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
42 Escarole Salad with Tangerines, Marcona
Almonds, and Citrus, Honey, and Rosemary
Vinaigrette
44 Brussels Sprouts and Apple Salad with
Goat Cheese and Cider−Grainy Mustard
Vinaigrette
47 Slaw with Red Bell Pepper, Orange, Grilled
Shrimp, and Charred Tomatillo and Cilantro
Dressing
RICH TOPPINGS
71 Bacon–Black Pepper Vinaigrette 95 Rustic Croutons
72 Browned Butter Vinaigrette 96 Seasoned Pita Crisps
75 Avocado Ranch Dressing 97 Fried Shallots
76 Sourdough Caesar Dressing 98 Frico (a.k.a Parmesan Wafers)
79 Tahini, Lemon, and Harissa Dressing 100 Thyme-Scented Roasted Chickpeas
80 Japanese-Style Toasted Sesame Dressing 101 Spiced Nuts
81 Sweet and Spicy Peanut Dressing 102 Savory Granola
82 Lemon–Toasted Almond Dressing with 105 Glazed Bacon
Aleppo Pepper
106 Prosciutto Crisps
85 Buttermilk Black-and-Blue Dressing
86 Roasted Garlic Dressing 107 INDEX OF HEARTY SERVE-ONS
88 Country-Style Greek Salad with Pita Crisps 111 INDEX
and Roasted Garlic Dressing
90 Roasted Carrot, Broccolini, and Chicken
Salad with Tahini, Lemon, and Harissa
Dressing
92 Arugula, Plum, and Fennel Salad with
Japanese-S tyle Toasted Sesame Dressing

INTRODUCTION
Any enthusiastic eater, backyard gardener, or nut butters, tahini, and even bread. Moreover, we
vegetable farmer will tell you that lettuces and take full advantage of the array of international
greens have their own flavors and personalities. ingredients in today’s well-stocked grocery
Indeed they do, and fresh, flavorful produce is stores, from pomegranate molasses to miso to
important for making any salad good. But we all chia seeds. Combined with care and imagination,
know it’s the dressing that makes the salad. From ingredients once exotic but now within easy
a simple bowlful of lettuce to an elaborate com- reach can launch even a run-of-the-mill salad in
bination of greens with cooked veggies, proteins, exciting directions.
grains, and cheese, it’s the dressing that pulls it
The dressing recipes are organized into three
all together, defining a salad’s character, sending
chapters: Bright, Bold, and Rich. Bright dressings
it in one ethnic direction or another (or none),
are ones that sparkle with high notes; have fresh,
and complementing other ingredients so they
vibrant flavors; or lean heavily on acidity for
can do their best work on your palate.
character. Bold dressings are high-impact, pack
Dressing a salad often intimidates a cook—even a lot of flavor into a small space, and are big-time
our food-obsessed friends are quick to hand attention-getters. Rich dressings are just as they
off the job to a willing kitchen helper. Whether sound—supple and sumptuous.
you’ve been the cook or the helper, you’ll find
Since not every dressing matches with every
this book to be a handy little volume. In it is a
type of salad green (for example, ranch dressing
range of vinaigrettes and dressings, from trad-
would crush delicate mesclun), each dressing
itional to modern, to help you indulge every
recipe offers basic “Serve on” suggestions
salad-y whim. Looking for a buttoned-down,
for building your salad—items such as greens,
quiet, classic French vinaigrette to dress a simple
roasted vegetables, and fruits. Beyond that, we
green salad? We can do that. Need something
offer ideas for “Extras”—additions to make the
with a touch more depth and mystery? How
salad more complete and garnishes to make it
about a suave Pinot Noir or citrus, honey, and
sublime. But keep in mind that our suggestions
rosemary vinaigrette? Craving something rich?
just scratch the surface, and there are delicious
Look into our browned butter vinaigrette or
salads out there just waiting to be created.
toasted sesame dressing. There are dressings
here to create salads for any mood. The fourth chapter covers the last items to
go onto a salad: Toppings. Think toasty, nutty,
Though some dressings in the book will strike
savory granola and crisp, irresistible fried shallots.
familiar chords—ranch, blue cheese, Caesar—we
Although garnishes such as these might be
modernize the old formulas a bit and create all
considered superfluous, a sprinkle of this or a
new dressings with fresh, pure flavors and whole-
scattering of that can elevate a salad from
some ingredients. We ditch heavy mayonnaise
workaday to wonderful. IN
and sour cream and find creaminess in nuts and T
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INGREDIENTS
It’s been said before: great results depend as it’s so common you probably have a bottle in
much on good ingredients as on solid recipes. your kitchen, as well as sunflower and safflower,
With salad dressings, this is especially true, since which, to us, have an especially clean flavor.
the ingredients are few. So it stands to reason
So, in vinaigrettes and dressings with few
that the better and more carefully chosen the
ingredients, where the flavor of each one really
ingredients are, the more delicious your salads
counts, why are we talking about oils without any
will be.
flavor? Because with some dressings, the flavor
In this section, we’ll describe the basic components of olive oil just doesn’t work. A flavorless oil will
of most salad dressings—oils, acids, and flavorings give the dressing the volume and consistency
(discussed in descending order of amount used)— it needs without obscuring or conflicting with
and explain the types that are commonly used in other flavors.
these recipes.
NUT OILS
OILS
Oils pressed from nuts—think walnuts, hazelnuts,
or almonds—range in flavor from mild to robust.
Without oil, there are no vinaigrettes—in fact,
Raw nut oils are light in color and flavor, whereas
there would be precious few dressings. Oil carries
their toasted/roasted versions are darker, highly
flavor, adds luster, and helps a dressing cling to
aromatic, and more forceful.
a salad.
While we love toasted nut oils, their flavors can
Oil doesn’t stay fresh forever. Light, heat, and
dominate a dressing and throw the balance out
air are the enemies of freshness, so keep oils
of whack. So in some recipes, such as in Pome-
well sealed and stored in a dark, relatively cool
granate Molasses–Walnut Oil Vinaigrette (page
spot. And, just as you do with milk or cream
54) or Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette (page 49),
before using it, give your oil a quick sniff before
you’ll find that we also use another oil to keep
pouring it to ensure that no rancid or off odors
the nut oil in check.
or flavors have developed.
All nut oils are more perishable than olive oil
NEUTRAL OILS and neutral oils, so keep them in the refrigerator.
Neutral oils have little to no detectable fragrance Cold temperatures cause some types of oil
or flavor (and higher smoke points than olive oil). to congeal; if yours has, let it stand at room
Many types of oil fit into this category, including temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, until it’s
canola, vegetable, corn, sunflower, safflower, fluid enough to pour.
grapeseed, and some would say peanut (though
we’re not convinced about that—we swear that
D
SE sometimes you can taste it). In recipes that
S
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DR call for neutral oil, we specify canola because
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