Feb 28, 2013, Updated Mar 20, 2024 This dressing has a secret ingredient – Worcestershire sauce. My mom’s version calls for a lot of it – there’s even a scribbling at the top of her recipe, “Note: amount of Worcestershire not a mistake”. I think hers called for something like 1/2 cup – granted, it yields a large amount. Unable to track down the index card where I had scribbled her formula, I riffed on it – with very tasty results. Worcestershire sauce is based on a tangy blend of malt vinegar, molasses, tamarind, sugar, anchovies, onion and garlic – really, it makes perfect sense for a vinaigrette. And while it has a distinct aroma in the bottle, you really can’t detect it in the salad. The other components of the dressing are grated onion (in a small amount, but not negotiable – it’s very important!), sugar, oil, pungent white vinegar and crunchy poppyseeds. It’s quite sweet – it really enhances the strawberries and takes the earthy edge off of the raw spinach. Toasted almonds and creamy cheese add textural interest. To toast almonds, spread on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 6 minutes, watching closely and shaking the pan a couple of times. I didn’t have goat cheese, and I had some feta to use up – you can use either, but my preference is for soft goat cheese. Toss with some cooked, cooled quinoa and/or sliced chicken for a complete meal.
