This is one of my fave salad dressings of all time, Sherry Vinaigrette. I have been making it literally for decades and actually I’m a little surprised I haven’t posted it before. it’s not often there isn’t a bottle in my fridge, and that’s partly because it’s so versatile.
Sherry Vinaigrette
This is a tart dressing, full of flavor from the Sherry Vinegar, boosted by the garlic and there’s a bit of a surprise. This dressing has a little dried fruit. I love dried cranberries in this (and they’re a budget choice) but sweeter cherries are absolutely fabulous and would be my first choice. You can go with any fruit of your choice really; just finely chop.
About Sherry Vinaigrette:
When you taste the mixture, you might be tempted to add more sweetness, but take into consideration that poured onto greens or a salad, you’ll taste the fuller range of flavor along with the slight sweetness from the dried fruit, which kind of plumps a bit as it absorbs all the flavors.
The longer the dresing sits, the more “exchange” there is between the fruit and the dressing. Don’t be surprised when the dressing picks up a bit of color. I think it just gets better and better with time. The color can vary depending on the color of the olive oil used, too and can vary from duller to vibrant.
But of course, this is your dressing now so don’t be afraid to adjust the sweetness to your taste. I always use sugar, primarily because I like the other flavors to ring out but honey or another sweetener of choice will always work, too.
What Salad is Best with this Dressing:
I’ve always used this dressing with mixed greens or spring greens but lately have been enjoying it with all the different greens we have available to us these days. It’s fabulous with salads like my Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Feta, Dried Berries & Almonds.
It’s beautiful with almost anything stronger flavored, like Kale Salads or this mix of Broccoli & Kale, like you see here on this post. The dressing’s sharper flavors aren’t overwhelmed by the greens.
Sherry Vinaigrette
Making Sherry Vinaigrette:
This is one of those super simple put everything into a jar dressings that you just shake up. Easy, peasy, nothing to it. I do like to use a garlic press for the garlic so I know it’s super fine; it’s so much easier than trying to mince. When I do use a press, I think the garlic tastes stronger so I cut it back just a little. When chopping dried fruit, spray or oil your knife and they’ll be less likely to stick to the knife.
Store this in the door of the fridge in a tightly covered jar. The olive oil hardens if it’s cold enough for long enough and the door isn’t as cool as the rest of the fridge. If the oil does harden, leave the dressing out on the counter for a bit and it will liquify again. If you’re in a rush, it can go in the microwave for just a couple of seconds. You don’t want to heat it just bring it up to room temperature.
This is a dressing that’s great to double. It keeps in the fridge for literally weeks with no problem at all. The vinegar acts as a preservative along with the sugar. There are several vinegars that can work in this dressing. Sherry is obs the best but sub in white wine or other mild vinegar if you don’t have it.
Saving Money on Sherry Vinaigrette:
Vinegar is almost always at a low for the year before Easter, during the big holiday sales, and not just plain old vinegar. Check down the aisle and see if the “fancier” vinegar is on sale, too. Stock up for the year. If you miss Easter, do try to stock up during the summer sales when condiments are often on sale.
It pays to shop around for olive oil. Your buyers club will usually have good prices and Aldi does, too. When a new brand comes into the grocery store, it will often be at a stellar price (with coupons if you use them) but generally, those prices won’t last. Stock up if you see deals like this. Often olive oil is buy one get one half off; know your prices, crunch the numbers. The smaller bottles might actually be the better deal.
As mentioned before, dried cherries, my first choice here can be a little pricey. A great substitute is dried cranberries, and they can be downright cheap, especially during the Christmas sales and especially if you use coupons. The Winter Holidays are a great time to buy dried fruit of any kind at a low price.
Sherry Vinaigrette
Sherry Vinaigrette
- Yield: about 1 1/4 cups 1x
- Category: Salads
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup dried fruit: cherries, cranberries, berries, etc., sliced if needed
- 2 teaspoons Dijon
- 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar (honey if desired)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- a few grinds pepper
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a jar, lid and shake well. Store in refrigerator door where the olive oil is less likely to harden quickly.
Suggested serving: about 2 tablespoons.
Keywords: dried cherries, dried cranberries, Dried Fruit, Salad, Salad Dressings, Vinegar
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