Gather elderberry in the forest and then season your salad with it ;)

Herbal vinegars are a fun hobby. They are quite simple to make: place and herb in vinegar and let it sit. Strain out the herb and use the vinegar. It is so easy, in fact, that many of us have a shelf of vinegar ready to be used on something and we wait patiently on that something that never comes. (Admit it!)

I discuss this great dressing in the video. 🙂

Elderberry vinegar is one that is simple to make and also makes a fantastic salad dressing. You can simply mix it with oil and perhaps add a bit of sweetener before tossing your salad or you can put together an actual recipe like the elderberry mustard salad dressing I offer you here.

If you are starting this project without elderberry vinegar, that is your first step. Make an elderberry vinegar. I use fresh elderberries but dried berries work great too. With fresh berries I simply cover the berries with vinegar, about an inch above the berries. With a dried berry, I would add 2-3 inches of vinegar at the top (2 inches for a smaller jar, 3 inches for a larger jar) to allow some room for those berries when they rehydrate in your vinegar. Let it sit for two weeks or longer in a cool, dark place. Strain out the berries. Toss them. (Parts of what you’re tossing can actually make you sick so I wouldn’t add it to a smoothie or some such.) Keep your vinegar and go forth and eat salad!

How to make an elderberry vinaigrette

1. Combine in a jar 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup elderberry vinegar, 1/4 cup honey (or sugar), 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
2. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
3. Shake.
4. Taste for sweetness. Adjust to suit your needs.

Toss your salad greens in this fantastic vinaigrette and you may find that your salad doldrums have gone into complete remission. 😉