A Bevy of Honey Salad Dressings

It's been great weather for salad greens this year, though this batch of lettuce we planted in our cold frame has been bitter from the start.  Nothing like a nice honey-based salad dressing to offset any bitter green! Read on for a selection of dressings for any of the greens you may be enjoying before the weather really heats up.

Poppy-Seed Dressing
1/2 cup summer honey
1 tsp. dried mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated sweet onion
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
In a small food processor, add the honey, mustard, salt, vinegar and onion.  Process until well-blended.  While the processor is going, slowly pour in oil until the dressing is well emulsified. Pour into a bottle or jar and add poppy seeds. Makes about 1 1/2 cups dressing.  Store in refrigerator--keeps for about 2 or 3 weeks.

Mary Helen's 3-3-3 Salad Dressing
One of our regular customers at the St. James Farmers' Market in Sewickley shared this simple, versatile and delicious dressing recipe with us last year.
For one cup of dressing:
1/3 cup honey (summer honey is best)
1/3 cup vinegar (we've used cider vinegar, red wine vinegar and home-made raspberry vinegar all with good results)
1/3 cup oil (we've used extra virgin olive oil and canola oil)

Combine well, taste and add salt and pepper. To this basic dressing, you can add chopped garlic or minced onion, herbs such as parsley, dill or thyme, a little Dijon mustard--let your imagination be your guide.

Honey Mustard Dressing
This recipe comes from Kim Flottum's Honey Handbook (reviewed in Review of Honey Cookbooks, Part I).  He claims it's a salad dressing "to die for" and we tend to agree!
1 3/4 cups mayonaise
1/2 cup summer honey
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Makes about 2 cups.

BONUS!  
Chopped Salad Recipe with Honey & Garlic Dressing
The ingredients in this chopped salad can be adapted to include whatever produce happens to be in season.  All vegetables and fruits should be chopped in about a 1/2 inch dice.

1 tart apple, cored but not peeled.
1 tablespoon raw cider vinegar
1/2 small head red cabbage
1-2 carrots
6-8 medium-sized romaine lettuce leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Anxiously waiting for our 2011 garlic!

1/4 pecans, toasted
Honey & Garlic Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 small garlic clove, finely diced
salt and pepper to taste
Combine the dressing ingredients in a food processor or jar and blend well.  Placed the diced apple in a salad bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar.  Add each veggie to the bowl as you dice it, waiting to add the lettuce, cranberries and pecans until you're ready to serve.  When ready to serve, add the lettuce, cranberries and pecans and drizzle on half of the dressing, tossing well.  Taste and add more dressing if needed.  Remaining dressing can be stored in the fridge for a week.  Makes 4 servings and is easily doubled.