Favorite oils for salads?

[Collins]

Was hoping to get some comments on what everyone's favorites were in terms of the oil(s) they use for salad dressings (OTHER than olive oil - that's too easy).

Typically make standard vinaigrettes with red wine vinegar, dijon, shallots and olive oil, but would like to get some other ideas about different oils to try/use. (e.g., walnut, grapeseed, etc.)

Oh...I have some yuzu juice which I'm trying to incorporate into a vinaigrette (among other uses). Is olive oil the best for that or would I be better off using a more neutral oil to allow the yuzu to come through a bit more? Any thoughts are appreciated!

[srhcb]

Pumpkin Seed Oil, from Eastern Europe, is interesting. It's rather hard to find, and fairly expensive, but it's supposed to have healthful benefits.

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/chefshop/hirstyrpumse.html

SB (and it's a nice color)

[Sugarella]

I don't usually get too adventurous with dressings because I always screw them up and make something disgusting. So my old standby is either olive oil or grapeseed oil and lemon juice, salt & pepper.

But then I found avacado oil ! .....

[Smithy]

Some time back I discovered that walnut oil and good balsamic vinegar like each other a lot, almost to the point of magic. If I want a change from my standard olive oil and vinegar combination I generally go that route. Sorry I can't think of which herbs or seasonings I add. Garlic, or shallots, for sure. Dried thyme is a nice addition. I can't remember whether I've liked mustard in that combination, although my olive oil/vinegar dressing generally uses it.

Pistachio oil is another nice one, but I haven't found a vinegar that gives it the same "wow" factor as the walnut-and-balsamic combination.

[gini]

Peanut oil!

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil

Mostly just so I can make a curried yogurt dressing for not only quinoa salad, but much, much more. I'll admit it. I'm addicted.

[Gifted Gourmet]

a collection of nut oils which is extensive and expensive at the same exact time!

Walnut, hazelnut,almond .. and, of course, the ubiquitous pistachio oil ...

[Corinna Dunne]

Some time back I discovered that walnut oil and good balsamic vinegar like each other a lot, almost to the point of magic.

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I also love this combination. It is particularly good on a warm goat's cheese salad with a few toasted walnuts. Hazelnut has an even nuttier taste and is wonderful too.

And for a more Japanese slant, sesame seed oil works very well in a salad, particularly with beansprouts and a julienne of vegetables.

[Fat Guy]

Sherry vinegar with grapeseed oil makes for a terrific vinaigrette.

[Collins]

And for a more Japanese slant, sesame seed oil works very well in a salad, particularly with beansprouts and a julienne of vegetables.

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Agree about the sesame oil - it goes well with the yuzu juice, but i've found the sesame oil needs to be cut somewhat to make sure it isn't too aggressive in the dressing and allows the yuzu to show up. Maybe I can futz around with another nutty oil and see how the whole thing comes together...it's all one big experiment after all, right?

[bronihk]

i third walnut oil. i like mine with champagne vinegar, good dijon, salt and pepper. my favorite dressing.

[chezcherie]

hazelnut for moi. especially with sherry vinegar.

[Austin]

Having been in Thailand for so many years I've actually never heard of pistachio oil! I'll bet it's wonderful. Sometimes I'll use virgin sunflower seed oil that's available here, is this commonly used for salads in the west?

I was in the Hunza Valley, northern Pakistan, a year ago and picked up a couple bottles of apricot kernel oil. This is a staple of the people there, who are said to have one of the healthiest traditional diets in the world. The stuff is made by "massaging" ground up apricot kernels until a golden oil begins to emerge. The people in Hunza use it as a topping for several dishes, as well as a hair conditioner! The oil smells truly amazing, but its very sweet, almost candylike. I've used it in baking wholewheat apricot bread, but have yet to attempt it in any salads. Would be interested in hearing any suggestions.

Austin

[Smithy]

Ooh, apricot kernel oil sounds wonderful. I'll bet it smells like sweet almonds. Hmm. Match it with a tart, neutral vinegar and a touch of orange juice?

I confess, my mind is running away from an apricot oil vinaigrette and right onto drizzling it over chocolate cake, or chocolate brownies, or perhaps a mocha dessert of some sort...or an almond quick bread...mmm. Apricots and coffee. Apricots and chocolate. Apricots and almonds. What could be bad?

I've used sunflower seed oil; it's readily available here. However, I can't remember doing anything special with it in terms of a salad dressing. If "virgin" sunflower seed oil is of a distinctly higher quality, I may have to go hunt for it.

[Austin]

Smithy: yes, I think there are lots of possibilities for the apricot oil, just not sure where to start! Like I said, it has a sweet "candylike" aroma, quite unilke anything I've ever experienced! The people in Huza pour it over a sort of "cake" of fresh chappati, homemade cream cheese, and chopped herbs. Amazing stuff.

The sunflower oil I buy here is "virgin" and has a really strong...uh...sunflower flavor. I normally use it for deep-frying, and I've used it in one (rocket, I think?) salad. I'll be using it more for sure.

Austin

[Jaymes]

Someone gave me a bottle of Texas Pecan Oil. I loved the nutty flavor it gave to my salads.