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Lemon mayonnaise
You can use homemade mayonnaise made by the traditional or the blender method, or you can use good-quality bought mayonnaise. I find this variation particularly lovely as a sauce for dishes, such as the new potato, pea and mint frittata (#litres_trial_promo) or lentil croquettes (#litres_trial_promo); it adds a deliciously fresh yet rich note that complements them.
SERVES 4
4 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1–6 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the mayonnaise into a bowl and stir in the finely grated lemon rind. Add the lemon juice gradually, tasting as you go, to get the mixture the right degree of sharpness for you. I like to use the whole amount, but then I love lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Traditional-method mayonnaise
Making mayonnaise by hand is hard work, but you get a beautiful, creamy result and it’s very satisfying to see the mixture gradually thicken as you whisk in the oil.
MAKES 200–275ML (7–10FL OZ)
2–3 egg yolks
4 tsp salt
4 tsp mustard powder 2 or 3 grindings of black pepper
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
200–275ml (7–10fl oz) olive oil and groundnut oil, mixed
Put the egg yolks into a bowl and add the salt, mustard, pepper, vinegar and lemon juice.
Whisk for a minute or two until everything is well mixed and creamy, then start to add the oil, just a drop at a time, whisking hard after each addition.
When you have added about half the oil, the mixture will begin to thicken and look like mayonnaise, and then you can add the oil a little quicker, still whisking hard.
Go on whisking in the oil until the mixture is really thick – if you use three egg yolks you will probably be able to use 275ml (10fl oz) of oil, otherwise about 200ml (7fl oz) will be enough.
If the consistency of the mayonnaise seems a bit on the thick side, you can thin it with a little boiling water.
Mayonnaise and yoghurt dressing
You can use either homemade mayonnaise or a good-quality bought one for this.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
Simply mix everything together.
Ricotta mayonnaise
My daughter Meg invented this dressing, which tastes very much like mayonnaise but contains only a fraction of the calories. You can vary the flavour by adding ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard and you can also add a little skimmed milk if you want a thinner consistency.
SERVES 6–8
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
125g (4oz) ricotta
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Simply mix everything together to a smooth cream.
Soured cream dressing
Creamy and sweet and sour, this adds a touch of luxury to many green salads.
SERVES 6
275ml (10fl oz) soured cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
Just mix all the ingredients together until creamy. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for 4–5 days.
Tahini dressing v
The creamy texture and slightly bitter flavour of this dressing is addictive. It goes well with almost any vegetable or pulse salad. Try adding some chopped fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley or chives.
SERVES 2–4
1 heaped tbsp tahini
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the tahini into a bowl and gradually beat in the water and lemon juice. The mixture will be lumpy at first, but will gradually get light and fluffy as you beat in the liquid.
Add the garlic (if using) season to taste.
Tofu dressing v
This dressing, made from tofu or bean curd (#litres_trial_promo), is a bit like mayonnaise but considerably more nutritious and lower in oil. This is also nice with some chopped fresh herbs or spring onions added.
MAKES ABOUT 35OML (12FL OZ)
300g packet tofu – from health-food shops
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp muscovado sugar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you’ve got a blender, simply whiz all the ingredients together until combined. Or put the ingredients into a deep mixing bowl and use a hand blender.
Alternatively, put the tofu into a bowl and whisk until smooth, then add the vinegar, mustard and sugar and whisk again. Next beat in the oil, a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper.
Vinaigrette v
When I’m making this to dress a salad, I usually make it straight into the salad bowl, mix quickly and put the salad in on top. But if you need it for pouring over a salad, or for serving with avocados, for instance, it’s easiest to make it by shaking all the ingredients together in a clean screw-top jar, and for this you may want to double the quantities given here. Store in the jar in the fridge for up to a week.
SERVES 4–6
1 tbsp wine vinegar (preferably red)
3–4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix everything together, adding plenty of seasoning. Some chopped fresh herbs, a crushed garlic clove, also a little mustard and a dash of sugar, can be added to vary the flavour. You can also use different vinegars, such as cider or raspberry vinegar for a fruity flavour, balsamic vinegar for a rich, slightly sweet, mellow flavour, or rice vinegar, which is light and delicate.
VARIATION
Walnut vinaigrette v
Make as described, with 1–2 tablespoons of walnut oil replacing the same quantity of olive oil. Adding a crushed garlic clove also works well.
Yoghurt and green herb dressing
This is a fresh-tasting, slightly sharp dressing that’s good with most salad.
SERVES 4–6
275ml (10fl oz) natural yoghurt
1–2 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs, especially flat-leaf parsley, also chives and mint
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the yoghurt into a bowl and stir in the chopped herbs, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
VARIATION
Yoghurt and spring onion dressing
Make as in the main recipe, using 3 tablespoons of chopped spring onions instead of the chopped herbs.
How to sprout beans, grains and lentils v
Sprouted beans, grains and lentils may sound a bit ‘knit your own yoghurt', but it’s worth doing as they can add an interesting, crunchy element to salads and are highly nutritious, being rich in vitamins and minerals and containing high-quality protein.
Sprouting is easy to do. All you need is a jar (a big coffee jar is ideal), a piece of muslin or J cloth to go over the top, secured with an elastic band, and some beans or seeds. Most types are suitable, with the exception of red kidney beans and large beans like butter beans. Good ones to use are chickpeas, whole lentils, sunflower seeds, mung beans, aduki beans. Or you can buy some ready-made mixes of seeds and beans, which take the same amount of time to sprout.
Put half a cupful of your chosen beans or seeds into your jar, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 8–12 hours. Put the piece of muslin or J cloth over the top of the jar. Then drain off the water, fill the jar with fresh water, swish it round and then pour it all out again. All this can be done without removing the muslin or J cloth, which prevents the seeds or beans falling out. This rinsing has to be repeated twice a day, to keep the seeds damp (but they mustn’t be left soaking in water or they’ll rot rather than sprout). When I’m sprouting seeds, I keep them by the sink to remind me about the rinsing. They’re ready when they’re grown a little tail – usually in 2–4 days. They can be used straight away, added to salads and sandwiches, or kept in the fridge for several days.
Salads
Aigroissade
I love this French chickpea and vegetable salad, but with its creamy mayonnaise dressing it’s too high in fat and calories to enjoy very often. So I’ve gradually evolved ways of lightening it up. Chargrilled artichoke hearts can be bought from the deli section of any large supermarket.
SERVES 4–6
125g (4oz) chickpeas, soaked (#litres_trial_promo) and cooked until tender or 400g can
350g (12oz) each of cooked carrots and cooked cut green beans
tub of chargrilled artichoke hearts
6 rounded tbsp natural yoghurt
