Summer Salad #7: Lemon Caper Salad Dressing

For my summer of salads, I should include at least one dressing. There are many vegetables that I like as they are, (celery, radishes, carrots) but when blending disparate elements a good salad dressing is like the accessory that makes the outfit. It's the common element that ties everything together. And while there is a place for simple dressings (like oil and vinegar or just a squeeze of lemon with some salt) there's nothing I like better than an aggressive salad dressing. Give me garlic and acid and spice. Anchovies? Sure! Lemons? of course! Mustard and garlic? no problem. Blue cheese? bring it on.

So when I heard about April Bloomfield's Lemon Caper Dressing, I had to try it.

Wow. This dressing doesn't just have lemon juice, it has whole lemon segments. It has capers, shallots and hot mustard. This is a salad dressing to be reckoned with.

I tried it two ways, on lettuce and on roasted potatoes, as a take on German potato salad. While it's not bad on potatoes, I think it's much better on lettuce. The cool herbaceous quality of the greens works better with the sharpness of the dressing.

Ranch dressing is for wimps.

April Bloomfield's Lemon Caper Dressing

Makes about 1 cup

• 2 medium lemons
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons drained capers, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Segment the lemons over a bowl to catch the juices. Set aside.

Squeeze the juice from the membranes into a separate bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir well.

Add the lemon segments and toss gently to coat them without breaking them up. Use straightaway or chill in the fridge, covered, for up to an hour.