I am excited to finally be growing lettuce in our greenhouse this winter because I love salads and being able to cut fresh ones is something I have really been anticipating. But since I will be eating such fresh salads I don't want to smother them in heavy dressings. Does anyone have some vinagerette recipes I could use. I like cider vinegar, balsemic and red wine so any of those are fine. Also if you have any salad mixes (greens) or additives like sunflower seeds that you particularly like in your salads I would love to hear about those as well as I plan to eat a lot of salads and will want to vary it.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), October 06, 2001

Answers

Colleen-

I don't have any recipes, but what I usually do is just splash some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice on the salad, very lightly so as not to overwhelm the greens. I have found that when cutting salad greens I tend to wander the garden snipping bits of this and that- whatever strikes my fancy. I will often add arugula, a variety of fresh snipped herbs, chives and/or scallions, strawberries when available, and any other thinnings that I have. Makes for some really interesting salads! I never get the same things 2 days in a row, so it does not get boring. Enjoy your winter salads!

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), October 06, 2001.

Some crumbled bleu cheese is nice to mix in as well.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), October 07, 2001.

Hi Colleen, I looked up a couple of vinagrette recipes for you and found one I had tried once (with balsamic vinegar),I had almost forgotten how good it was. I am going to have to make some soon. Anyway, here they are. Vinegrette #1 1/2 cup tomato juice 4 tbsp. red wine vinegar 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. water 1 tbsp. mustard (regular yellow works best) 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tbsp. herbs ( thyme, rosemary, marjoram, or oregano) Shake together until well blended. Makes 1 cup. Calories per tbsp. 20.

Vinegrette #2 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard 1/2 tsp. honey Mix vinegar, mustard, and honey until well blended. Add 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Mix well.

Hope you like these. Enjoy your salads. Kim :-D

-- Kim in Indiana (kwcountrygirl@aol.com), October 07, 2001.

I make a Greek salad which is wonderful pocketed in pita bread and a meal in itself. Take lettuce, tomatoe, chopped olives(I like fermented black Greek), cucumber, red onion,chopped sweet pepper and put a dressing of equal parts or to taste red wine vinegar and olive oil,and crumble up feta cheese. A little sugar gives it a good flavor too. I put it in a plastic covered bowl in the refrigerator and it last 3 days. It makes a good nutritious meal. You can also put some dried Italian mixed herbs in it also or chopped fresh basil. This is a beautiful salad to look at as well. Terry

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), October 10, 2001.