How do I thicken a salad dressing?

[asmurf]

Back to the first post -- what is pomace oil?

Would anyone want the dressing to be as thick as mayonnaise for a greed salad? To me the salad is about the greens and the dressing is about the flavour enhancement. Just enough to coat the greens.

I agree with foodaholic, I can get a good emulsification using dijon mustard, olive oil etc. using a whisk and a bowl. Which to me is as thick as I care to go for a salad dressing.

 

[foodaholic]

Back to the first post -- what is pomace oil?

Would anyone want the dressing to be as thick as mayonnaise for a greed salad? To me the salad is about the greens and the dressing is about the flavour enhancement. Just enough to coat the greens.

I agree with foodaholic, I can get a good emulsification using dijon mustard, olive oil etc. using a whisk and a bowl. Which to me is as thick as I care to go for a salad dressing.

Hi asmurf nice to see you here,

Using lower grades of olive oil (pure, also sold as plain ‘olive oil,’ and olive pomace oil are the most common) comes with another set of problems. These are refined oils, produced from inferior quality fruit or, in the case of pomace oil, the leftover mash from the initial pressing (called pomace in France, sansa in Italy). Producers use a combination of heat and chemical solvents to extract the last molecules of oil, then refine the oil to remove the solvent. The result is flavorless, and virgin or extra virgin oil is blended back in to add flavor. These refined oils can be very low in acidity and usually are bland or almost flavorless.

One of the problems with refined oils is that it is very difficult, if not impossible, to remove all of the solvent. There have been a few cases recently where oil has been recalled after analysis detected potentially harmful levels of solvent residue. Many producers of extra virgin olive oil claim that pomace oil should not be used for human consumption, and while they have an obvious self-interest, it’s hard to argue when we’re talking about proven carcinogens.

foodaholic

 

[kitchenelf]

Pomace Oil (Aceite de Orujo)
Made by refining/processing olive oil pressings [pomace/marc/orujo]. The least expensive type, no real taste and used primarily for deep frying.

Pomace is the ground flesh and pits after pressing. Any oil that hasn't been removed by pressure can then be extracted using steam and solvents. This is pomace oil. It is considered an inferior grade and is used for soap making or industrial purposes.

asmurf - I do agree that that's all you need for a thick salad dressing. It always worked for me - with a whisk. I just cannot for the life of me to get a wand to incorporate air - probably not holding my tongue right:p

 

[goodgiver]

thick dressing

foodaholic, after doing a little more investigating that is exactly what I perceived to be the thickening agent to be. I just haven't had a chance to get back here. Thanks for giving us some good advice!! Dry mustard was never mentioned but mustard was. You need to hang out here more often!!!!

Have you tried using a ( Boat Motor ) really works for me wether I use egg,mustard or not.

 

[ironchef]

Whoa, this might possibly be the oldest thread on this board.

I'm surpised though that no one mentioned another obvious tip: use less oil. The 3-to-1 oil to vinegar ratio is the standard, but when using extra virgin olive oil, by going to a 2-to-1 or 2.5-to-1 ratio, your dressing will be thicker.