Salad vinaigrette formula

A salad is not a salad is not a salad without a dressing. I'll use up the last drops of any random sauces in the salad dressings I make. Once I managed to empty 6 different condiment bottles and jars at the same go (see the asian dressing below). So I promise you, you can always stir one up with any remnants in the cupboard...

I'll usually mix my salad dressings in any empty glass jar with a tight lid, filling it up halfway (to leave room for shaking it) with 

• something or some things sour (usually fresh lemon juice, but sometimes any kind of vinegar, lime juice etc), this together with the fat is really the bulk of the dressing
• something or some things fat (olive oil, unsweetened peanut butter, tahini, sesame oil etc etc)
• something sweet (some sugar, honey, fruits, jam or marmalade, a little goes a long way)
• something or some things salty (salt, shoyu, anchovy, grated parmesan cheese etc etc)
• and maybe something more (dijon and finely chopped shallots, mustard, chives, herbs, sesame seeds, a little cream, yoghurt, grated ginger, fresh or roasted garlic, fresh or roasted chili etc etc)

Go wild!

Close the lid (properly) and shake it, taste and add whatever you feel is missing and shake some more, repeat til you're satisfied with the flavour. 

An always sure bet is the Dijon vinaigrette including lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt, dijon mustard and shallots. But I'm pretty sure everybody, really everybody, already knew how make a Dijon vinaigrette. Right?

My asian flavours dressing include lime juice, rice vinegar, peanut butter and toasted sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, spring onions and a mix of dark and light sesame seeds. Or I'll do a simpler version with soy sauce, lemon juice, peanut butter, honey and some roast garlic and chili oil. Nice with any greens, kale, cole, shrimps, chicken etc.

Right now I have this strange sounding chocolate dressing idea in mind that I have not tried out yet, playing with the idea of a mole really. I'm thinking balsamic vinegar,  chocolate syrup, sesame oil, salt and chili... maybe some peanutbutter too if it falls too flat without,  this to top off some really dark green leaves, roasted pinenuts and cooked torn-up chicken. Try it if you fancy, but I'm taking no responsibility for it...