Why do restaurant salads taste so much better than any salad I try to make at home, even if I use the restaurant’s dressing?
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Good dressing is fussy. Back when I was a cook I would take a good 15 minutes to make dressing. Start low and build the flavors. You have to compare it to what you are dressing. Each head of lettuce tastes a little different.
Sugar is the key, but you have to be careful. Add and taste. You’ll nail it. Also, a tiny amount of Dijon mustard. You need an emulsifier. Some people use stone ground, I prefer Dijon. Never powdered.
Make it a little saltier and a little sweeter than you think. Fresh Basil makes a difference. Roll the cut pieces in your hands and drop it in. Get those oils out. Screw oregano, but a little bit of fresh thyme is nice. Just a touch..
Vinaigrette is an art, not a science. It takes years of practice. Once you’ve got it, it’s no problem.
Sugar, sugar, sugar. That’s the big deal. You just have to nail it right and it’s really fussy. One pinch over and you ruined it. One pinch under, and it’s junk. Go short and build. The salt is easy. The sugar is what you’re missing. It’s not much. Just the right amount. You do it by taste always. You’ve got this.
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