Dressing It Up

Tasty Thursday, edition 18

YOU SEE: lettuce. And it’s not on the stove. What’s going on?

I SEE: a salad. A crispy, green, delicious, salad. With my favorite dressing.

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A salad is only as good as its dressing. Okay, that’s a massive overstatement, because a salad is really only as good as the sum of all its parts. Color, texture, crunch. Even if I’m making a fake tuna salad (chickpeas) I’ll throw in some raw onion for crunch, or nuts if it’s a curried “salad”, but when I say salad in general I am talking about a green leafy thing.

That’s been relatively hard to come by in French Polynesia, at least on a regular basis, and so coleslaw or some variation on the theme (the theme being cabbage) has been more the thing.

Here in Bora Bora, though, and before that in Huahine, lettuce is easily available in the grocery store. So tonight, when we were invited to another boat for dinner, I was thrilled to be able to offer to make the salad. Lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes. The container of roasted pumpkin seeds that I’m slowly becoming addicted to as a surprise adder to many dishes.

And my salad dressing.

a lunch salad, with - you guessed it - my dressing

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This was one of the early Tasty Thursday videos, this dressing, and I’ll maintain that if you are new to cooking this is exactly the kind of thing that you might want to start with. It’s endlessly customizable, offers a lot of taste return on the time investment, and uses ingredients you likely have on hand. If all you’ve ever had is bottled stuff (Kraft or Wishbone I’m looking at you), you are in for a treat.

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Salad dressing

Note: I like vinegar-y sharp dressings, so this is heavier on the acid than many. Classic French vinaigrette ratios are more like 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Figure out what you like and go from there.

The basic ratio I use is :

• 1 part olive oil

• 1 part canola or mild vegetable oil

• 1 part vinegar

• 1 splash balsamic vinegar (unless you use balsamic for the main vinegar)

• 1 splash worcestershire sauce (vegan worcestershire sauce if you’re making this for vegans)

• 1 tsp+ dijon mustard

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 good pinch dried tarragon

• 1 smaller pinch dried oregano

• smaller pinch salt (if you cook with it)

• a few grinds of good pepper

Put all of this in a jar and shake it. Best made a couple of hours before using it, but eh, that’s a nicety that sometimes doesn’t fly.

VARIATIONS!

• instead of vinegar use lemon juice

• forget the mustard and use a spoonful of mayonnaise, or a dollop of yogurt or the last of the sour cream

• mix up the herbs

• want it more Asian-flavored? Swap the olive oil for sesame oil, use rice wine vinegar, instead of a splash of worcestershire use a splash of soy sauce. Ginger, not tarragon or oregano.

• Add a few drops of honey

• blend it with an immersion blender

• Etc etc etc. You get the idea. Play and make it yours.

I keep this in the fridge because of the garlic. When we’re in a place where access to lettuce is more challenging, I’ll make a smaller batch than if I’m in a place where lettuce is readily available. This also works excellently as a marinade for something you might throw on the grill, if you have one of those.

Sunrise over Bora Bora, May 21, 2026