I have two to recommend: red salad dressings, that is. The first is Cranberry Vinaigrette, which is truly delicious. The only thing that you need for it that is out of the ordinary is frozen undiluted cranberry-juice concentrate, which is available in Tucson's supermarkets and in organic form at Sprouts. Go ahead and let it thaw for the recipe, though.
My second superstar in the red category is not exactly red, but rather an outrageous shade of hot pink: my own invention, Prickly Vinaigrette. If you live in the Southwest you can get prickly pear syrup in our supermarkets, as well as jelly and honey that have both been produced in Nopalito territory. The Nopal cactus can be spotted down here by its distinctive oval leaves, which are sometimes as large as dinner plates. Every spring they sprout little buds that flower and then, if all goes well, morph into purplish-red, spiny fruits that are known as Prickly Pears.
You have to use gloves to pick and handle these guys, but if you go to the trouble to collect a few you can make your own prickly-pear elixir, which is delightful. However, we don't have to since a brand called Cheri's is found in most of Tucson's supermarkets.
There is a method to making vinaigrette dressings like my cranberry variation. It is all about oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard and seasonings, plus a fruit addition (in this case, the undiluted cranberry juice). Now when you do make a salad using one of these two juices, it is a delightful addition to add some slices of red cabbage, which echo the color scheme.
Take a look at the many salad combinations that are sold in our supermarkets nowadays and you'll see many that contain red lettuces and cabbage in the mix. You use a handful of mixed greens per person, add the dressing and there you go...one course is taken care of.
CRANBERRY VINAIGRETTE
Ingredients:
1 cup of organic salad oil such as safflower or canola
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 organic lemon
1 clove organic garlic
1/4 small organic onion, rough chopped
1/4 cup organic red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons organic Dijon mustard
1/3 cup undiluted organic frozen cranberry-juice concentrate, thawed
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until everything is completely combined. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
In the case of my Prickly Pear Vinaigrette, it was modeled on my mother's salad dressing, which is known in this column as Bernice's French Dressing. My daughter and I worked out the recipe for it, and it will come out an outrageous pink color with the addition of the prickly pear syrup. It also has a unique taste that could become a signature dish for anyone who can get all the ingredients.
PRICKLY PEAR VINAIGRETTE
Ingredients:
1 cup organic salad oil such as safflower or canola
1/4 cup organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup Cheri's Prickly Pear Syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 organic lemon or lime
2 cloves organic garlic
1/4 organic onion
Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and then taste to see if you would prefer it with more sugar. The prickly pear syrup is sweeter than the ketchup that was used to make the French dressing, so you don't know until you try it.
There you have it! If you want pepper in your salad dressing, I suggest ground white pepper rather than black because it is invisible, although the flavor is there. I don't like the specks of pepper in many dishes, but that's a personal preference.
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