Learn to top off summer salads just right

The other day at the farmers market I spotted baby lettuce, herbs, chives, green onions, ramps, garlic, new potatoes, spinach, dandelion and Swiss chard. I loaded up my shopping bag, hurried home and got a salad dressing going from scratch, knowing that nothing is easier and tastier than the homemade version.

A basic salad dressing calls for about 3/4 cup oil with 1/4 cup vinegar. After that you can add whatever suits your fancy. Extra-virgin olive oil has less acidity than olive oil labeled as simply "virgin," and it is the favored oil for salad dressing.

However, I often flout the classic rule and combine 1/2 cup olive and 1/4 cup grapeseed oil for my 3/4 cup offering. Other salad lovers I know use safflower, sunflower, almond, walnut, sesame, hazelnut or plain vegetable oil -- or whatever suits their fancy.

There is no hard rule about the type of vinegar that works best, either. I grew up Down South on Mama's potato and chicken salads, which were laced with a good splash of cider vinegar.

I followed her lead for years, but when I moved to New York City, I quickly became a devotee of its world of chi-chi vinegars: white and red wine vinegar, light and ethereal tarragon vinegar, dark and intense balsamic vinegar.

But a few years ago, I stumbled upon an organic cider vinegar at a health food store and now it is my favorite offering for a salad dressing. I am back to my roots again.

Choice of extras

Once you have the oil and vinegar in hand, you can add whatever else pleases your palate: a tablespoon or two of prepared mustard, some capers, chopped olives or pickles, slivers of anchovies, a big spoonful or two of strong-flavored cheese.

For a dressing suited to chicken salad or coleslaw, you could add a couple tablespoons of mango chutney. Likewise, a pinch of herb adds zest to the dressing -- try thyme, basil, cilantro, parsley or dill. And a clove or two of crushed garlic, chopped shallots or a handful of arugula add a pungent note. Chopped tomatoes, grated carrots or diced cooked beets are fine for adding to a salad dressing, too, to add a little heft and color.

You can also boost the flavor of the salad dressing with a couple tablespoons of lime or lemon juice or a slug of dark rum, a discovery I recently made in Jamaica. And the succulent avocado, which is loved in this kitchen, also makes a delectable salad dressing.

Choice of salad ingredients

For the salad bowl, you can add chunky pieces of grilled chicken or ham, or strips of roast veal or beef, or a mound of cooked shrimp, crabmeat or lobster, or roasted peppers or grilled vegetables, and then the salad becomes the main entree. This combo is chock full of nutrients, a good way to eat those daily five servings of fruits and vegetables that nutritionists are always breathing down our necks about.

In that quest, vegetables such as corn, cauliflower, broccoli, snow peas, squash and zucchini are also a healthy addition to the salad bowl. For the best result, blanch the veggies first for a couple minutes in hot water, and then soak in ice water, and drain well before adding to the salad bowl. Cooked dried peas and beans are fine for salad bowls, too.

But a salad can also star as a pristine elegant starter, made with nothing more than a bowl of crisp, well-chilled watercress or baby Boston lettuce leaves mixed perhaps with a few endive leaves or a sprinkling of capers. The leaves are then tossed lightly with the classic vinaigrette, which is simply oil and vinegar seasoned with a pinch of dry mustard and a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, and a hint of garlic.

Please pass the mayo

Years ago in the South, mayonnaise salad dressings were favored, too, and often they were mixed with chopped parsley and chives or green onions for the region's classic green mayonnaise. This verdant salad dressing was often drizzled over shrimp, cold salmon and hard-cooked eggs.

In fact, my dear Aunt Mary who lived on the Gulf Coast favored homemade mayonnaise with Crab Louis, which is an elegant salad made with crabmeat, her specialty when company came to dinner.

Salad dressing is easy to make, reason enough to pass up the bottled variety. Here are some of my favorite recipes.

Joyce White is author of "Soul Food" and "Brown Sugar." She can be reached at jwhitesoul@aol.com.