Grandpa Hank is my father in-law and this is his old-time salad dressing for fresh-from-the-garden lettuce — which I just harvested yesterday. I suppose I could write this as a Meatless Monday recipe, but I didn’t because it really isn’t enough for a meal. But it IS the only way my kids would ever eat salad. Ever. Really.
They are finally starting to break out of the “Grandpa Hank Salad” rut, expanding their repertoire to Caesar and Ranch, but it is always exciting to harvest our first lettuce of season. We’ve had cool, cool weather, so the lettuce was amazingly mild.
I confess that I hate to wash lettuce. It really is a pain. I did get a new Zyliss salad spinner, that I like a lot better that my old one (I think it was a Copco). The Zylis uses a string to spin the lettuce versus the Copco’s large plunger button on top. And while I don’t know how long the string mechanism will last, it seriously spins those greens amazingly fast. Plus I love the green color. It makes me happy when I’m doing a job I hate.
Hate is a strong word. Just ignore me. I’m an embellisher.
But I do hate cleaning greens.
Anyway, this is a salad dressing for tender greens. It doesn’t really work on tough, strong greens. At least I don’t think it does. And it is really, really good. When no one is looking, I often steal a sip of it. I could drink the stuff. But if my kid’s try to do that, I scream at them at the top of my lungs: “GROSS! That is DISGUSTING! Don’t let me see you do that AGAIN!”
Hypocritical. Yes, I know. Don’t remind me, as I am well aware of the deficiencies in my character.
Try this salad topper on some nice tender greens. And tell me if it isn’t the best you’ve ever had.
Grandpa Hank’s Salad Dressing*
As always feel free to monkey with the quantities. When Granola Dave makes it, he uses way less sugar than me. I just taste it and add it until I want to drink it right then and there. Then I know it’s perfect. I suggest you do the same.
- 5 T half and half
- 1 T Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 heaping tablespoon sugar.
Mix together and serve over garden lettuce.
*I just thought of something. I changed Grandpa Hank’s Salad Dressing years ago. from the regular vinegar that his called for to the balsamic vinegar that I love so much. You can use which ever you like!
MaryMG says
Gonna have to try this. You haven’t let me down yet.
Sheila says
I’ll give it a try – and the fresh lettuce. Sounds heavenly. I could have used this recipe the other night at book club!
Nat Alea from OK says
Really that’s it???? That sounds too easy but I can’t wait to try it. We are actually seeing SOMETHING coming up. I’m crossing my fingers it’s lettuce, we actually planted some. But we have a bird feeder and some EXTREMELY picky birds who throw out seeds that they don’t like so we might be growing sunflowers for all I know ;o) Is that this years lettuce?!? How did you get it to grow that fast?
Jennifer Menke says
Let me know, you guys. I always wonder if the things I love so much will be loved by others. It is so ridiculously simple and yet… indescribably good. Too good to be true? NO!
Same with that Aji sauce from the Peruvian Pleasures post. Seriously the best hot sauce I have ever tasted so much fresh lively goodness inside the hotness. Try that one too!
Sherry Borzo says
We made this dressing the other night Jen. In fact, we’ve made it twice. Both times it was wonderful. So simple and not too much. My hubby did add pepper and tobasco.
Next up . . . bread baking for the pathetic soul who does not bake. I have no tools and no talent for this sort of thing. To begin, I did go out and learn how to properly say ciabatta because I knew I always hacked the pronunciation. cha-ba-ta, cha-ba-ta. I’ll let you know how the baking goes.
admin says
Hi Sherry! So, you liked it?
I made it for my extended family the first night up in Hayward and got mixed reviews. Of course I berated and bullied “WHAT? That dressing is the BEST? Who cares if it’s SWEET? It’s SUPPOSED to be SWEET!” etc, etc.
Apparently “Ranch” is tough to beat when you are feeding teenagers…
🙂
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