Best Vinaigrette Recipes

If you're near an Asian specialty market or find red miso paste in the store, this is the perfect accompaniment to make for any white fish that you're serving.

A wonderful, spicy vinegarette to add ontop of any salad or coleslaw recipe.  Click here to see 15 Ways to Use Tabasco at Your Barbecue

Couscous, small round pieces of pasta made from a mixture of semolina flour and water, makes the perfect base for a cold salad. If you’re looking for something other than a sandwich to pack for lunch, this is a great option. This recipe calls for red bell peppers, zucchini, feta cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette, but you could easily adapt this concept based on the ingredients you have on hand or your personal taste preference. Click here for more pasta salad recipes.  

Brussels sprouts get a bad rap. People say they hate Brussels sprouts more than any other food, other than lima beans. In both cases, I believe the reason is that the vegetables are so rarely prepared well. Last year, I went to my dad’s house for Thanksgiving, and this year I’m going to my sister Gail’s. In both instances, my addition to the potluck is these Brussels sprouts. I like that I can prepare them ahead of time and dress them just before serving — without the slightest compromise to their flavor, color, or texture. We sear our Brussels sprouts so they get nicely browned while maintaining their unique texture and vibrant green color, then we toss them in sherry vinaigrette and top them with breadcrumbs laced with prosciutto and herbs. Judging by the number of people who absolutely love these, I would say we have converted many a Brussels sprout hater with this preparation. The recipe for the prosciutto breadcrumbs makes about 1 cup, which is more than you will need for this dish, but since it calls for such a variety of herbs, it seems silly to make a smaller portion and have so many herbs leftover — better to have the breadcrumbs leftover. They are delicious sprinkled on any roasted vegetables. If you don’t have time to prepare the breadcrumbs, the Brussels sprouts are still delicious without them. Click here to see Nancy Silverton's Thanksgiving Dinner.

These colorful beets are never more delicious than when prepared simply. Here, they’re baked until perfectly tender and dressed with a delightful anise-flavored vinaigrette. When crushed in a mortar, the anise seeds impart a delicate licorice essence to the beets, making this unfussy salad a tad exotic. Serve this beet duo as a first course or side vegetable or as part of a tapas spread. Either way, they’re as delectable to the palate as they are pleasing to the eye.