Dressing smartly

Walnut oil dressing; Chardonnay dressing; Cabernet sauvignon dressing; Basic vinaigrette

This will liven up many a bland salad leaf and it goes particularly well with, say, chicken livers and offal salads. Whisk 1 part sherry vinegar with 4 parts walnut oil, season and add a pinch of caster sugar to taste.

Walnut oil dressing

This will liven up many a bland salad leaf and it goes particularly well with, say, chicken livers and offal salads. Whisk 1 part sherry vinegar with 4 parts walnut oil, season and add a pinch of caster sugar to taste.

Chardonnay dressing

The Spanish are producing some great vinegars that put some of the more common store-cupboard ones to shame. They are not cheap, though, and when you try them they have little in common with their cheaply produced counterparts. The reaction of most people I give a little nip to, to try, is that they are more palatable than most bottom-end wines. Well they're certainly pricier, per 250ml, than most quaffing wines.

They also need less dilution of oil as their acidity level is low. So, 1 part vinegar of, say the Forum brand's chardonnay vinegar, with 3 parts olive oil is sufficient, then add a few sprigs of tarragon and a few slices of garlic, season and leave to infuse overnight.

Use to dress simple green herb salads or use with finely shredded fennel to go with marinated salmon. You can even toss it into some summer vegetables to serve with fish.

Cabernet sauvignon dressing

Again, this dressing uses one of my favourite Forum Spanish vinegars, this time made using the cabernet sauvignon grape. My favourite way to use this vinegar is as follows.

Finely chop 1 shallot, then add it to a pan along with 2tbsp of this vinegar and bring to the boil. Take it off the heat and leave to cool, then whisk in 6tbsp olive or walnut oil and finally season.

This dressing goes particularly well with robust leaves, such as Treviso or radicchio. Or you can just drizzle it on beetroot or meaty salads with, say, wild mushrooms.

Basic vinaigrette

1tbsp good-quality tarragon vinegar
2tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic, peeled
2tbsp olive oil
3tbsp vegetable or corn oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients into a clean bottle or jar. Give them a good shake and leave to infuse overnight at room temperature.

This classic dressing can be used for simple green or mixed salads.