Dress Fresh: Herb-centric Dressings & Dips

Do you make salad dressings from scratch? I hope so. Commercial bottled dressings are usually over-loaded with artificial flavorings and preservatives, and even the organic types can contain sweeteners, excess salt or inflammatory oils that would thwart a salad’s natural appeal. Homemade dressings are inexpensive, packed with the healthfulness only fresh, unprocessed ingredients can lend, and they taste a lot better than store-bought. Not to mention their cook-it-forward friendliness, as in: make a batch (in an easy 10 or 15 minutes, mind you) and use it for days to come.

Spring is a terrific time to take the DIY approach because that’s when fresh herbs are back in business. And fresh herbs are just where I like to start with salad dressings. Cilantro, chives, parsley, and other early-season herbs have a vibrant savor that makes salad dressings spark and spring foods come alive, just when we need that most. Similar green shoots add unique, snappy flavor, like lemony sorrel, peppery watercress and sweet-sharp green onions. (These aren’t technically herbs but they sure serve the same purpose.)

Dressings are just the beginning, of course. Herb-focused dips, marinades and all manner of cold sauces are particularly welcome on the springtime table. They complement those fledgling veggies that are coming on from garden and market and flavor up the first grilled meats of the season. You can give them an international twist—think Moroccan chermoula or South American chimichurri. Or keep the theme closer to home—a Cajun green onion sauce, maybe, or thick Greek yogurt spiked with a mix of North-loving herbs. These are lively tasting mixtures you might fold into cooked rice or quinoa, drizzle on a burger or roast chicken, or serve as a dunk for bread or chips. Yes, that’s a lot of uses, and a lot of flavor. Better make a double batch.

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