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GF Salad Dressing,
Balsamic Vinegrette w Porcini mushrooms

Note:  Balsamic vinegar is different from other vinegars.  It is aged in
casks, and decanted out into new ones and aged some more.  The ones I have
used here are about five to six bucks a bottle.  The price can range all the
way up to $180 for 4 oz or so for the ten year aged stuff.  It gets thicker
and sweeter with each decanting.  The barrels that it is aged in have an
impact on flavor.  The dark balsamic I used here is aged five years in a
succession of twelve ash, cherry, and mulberry barrels.  Balsamic vinegar
starts out as grape must from wine making. There are 24 cases of the Cask #4
I bought this time. Afficionados treat it like wine.  It is addictive. <g>  I
like to buy one type when I go shopping each time, and sort out which ones I
like for which purposes.  I currently have three in my cupboard. There are a
lot of imitations,  It shouldnt really have an ingredient list.  Its a one
ingredient item.  If you see things like caramel color, sugar in any form,
etc... its a phony.  There ARE some pretty decent phony balsamic vinegars out
there, just nice to know what you are getting since those might have gluten
in them.

Into a clean salad dressing bottle, (I prefer washed out Wishbone bottles, I
like the lid.) put the following.  Use a funnel for the herbs and such
because you will need to brush them into it after you grind them down.  I use
a textured grinding bowl with a wooden pestle to re grind all herbs.
Throwing them in the molinex works too, but then you cant adjust by adding
and tasting after shaking.  The flavor of this changes too, after it sits for
a few hours, so you will want to taste again and decide how you wish to
adjust the flavoring.

1/2 Cup V. G. Buck imported White balsamic vinegar, a sweet vinegar without
   sugar.
1/2 Cup Napa Valley Naturals Italian Cherry Wood Aged Balsamic Vinegar Cask
   #4, not so sweet but with woodsy fruity tones to it.
2 tsp finely powdered dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 pinch  each of Nutmeg, Ginger, Turmeric
1 tsp finely ground mixed italian herbs
1 tsp finely ground basil
1/3 cup fluffy grated parmesan, I used Kraft.  Not the best, but affordable.
1-2 tsp anchovy paste, adjust to taste, this is the source of salt in the
   recipe.
1/4 tsp guar gum, keeps the oil and vinegar mixed better.
!/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Flax Seed Oil, very good for you, and adds a nutty flavor.
   (This dressing is intended to be a flax seed oil supplement by the way.)
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water, (depending on how sharp you like your dressing.)
   Good idea to add this one half at the beginning and the remainder at the
   end, just so you have more control over how acidic the dressing is.
1/2 tsp powdered Wasabi (japanese horshradish mix, the green stuff that goes
   with sushi.
1 tsp Garlic powder.
1/2 tsp toasted Sesame oil
*Optional- 2  tsp finely ground dried Shitake Mushrooms\- excellent for the
   immune system and a nice flavor all their own.
* Optional- sundried tomatoes, you can get the fine chopped flakes in a jar
   at the store, or use a tsp or so of sundried tomato paste, also salty, so
   adjust in tandem with the anchovy paste.

Shake bottle vigorously between additions, taste as you go and see how the
flavor develops, where each note comes from, and then when you taste again
after it has sat a few hours you will know what you want more of.  Yes,
making salad dressing is a sensual project, you use your nose, your tongue,
and your perceptions to take a recipe, and make it uniquely yours.

Triara.