Making your own salad dressing is rather easy and much more healthy than buying it off the supermarket shelves. You control the quality of the ingredients, as well as the quantity so each batch is custom to your personal taste and lifestyle preferences.
This recipe has been posted on the internet for several years now. I can only imagine that a disgruntled line cook posted the recipe after being laid off. It’s also possible that this is just someone’s guess at what would be in the dressing. If the latter is true, then I must say ‘Bravo’. I’ve cut the original recipe is half and modified slightly to my own liking. This recipe will make approximately 4 cups which is enough to fill 2 salad dressing bottles.
Ingredients
- 2c canola oil
- 1/2c extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2c white vinegar
- 1/3c water
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground mustard
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
1. In a large measuring cup with a spout, measure out oils. If you do not have a measuring cup big enough, pour into a mixing bowl with a spout. This will make the emulsifying process much easier. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix garlic, sugar, ground mustard, red pepper flakes, black pepper, salt, thyme, and oregano. Pour water, white and red wine vinegar into the same bowl. Whisk until sugar has dissolved.
3. With one hand, drizzle oil mixture into large mixing bowl steadily while whisking vigorously with the other hand. This will emulsify the oil and thicken the dressing.
4. Using a funnel, pour salad dressing into 2 clean salad dressing containers. Refrigerate. Shake before using. Will keep for 3 months.
If you have not had the experience of dining at Maggiano’s Little Italy (www.maggianos.com), let me take a minute to highly recommend you make a reservation. The portion sizes are enormous, the wine list has something special for every budget, and the environment is friendly to large groups or enjoyable dinners for two.
Adventures in Food 
