Recipes by wendy

Maggi and I go way back. We met about 30 years ago in NYC. I was visiting my Dad one school vacation when  his Polish girlfriend Joanna came by to cook us a lovely meal. During preparation she pulled out her silent partner… Maggi. The two of them made the most delicious salad,  it’s no wonder my father married her… Joanna that is, not Maggi.

Maggi has been around since the late 1800′s and is a vegetable protein based  meat enhancer that is essentially Eastern Europe’s equivalency to soy sauce.  Maggi was developed as an inexpensive alternative to enrich the flavor of soups and stocks during economically challenging times.  Now a Nestle product, Maggi is available all over the world and most likely can be found in your local super market.

So, I’m a big soup maker but I have be honest, I’ve never used Maggi for soup. I use Maggi the way my stepmother does, in very small amounts to add  flavor and salt to salads and vinaigrettes.

So simple and so delicious. The next time you go to make a salad forget the Ranch Dressing and introduce your lettuce and palette to the unique flavor of Maggi. Here’s How.

• Pour 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil at the bottom of a salad bowl, preferably wooden.
• Add 2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar and several grinds of  black pepper.
• add 2-3 dashes of Maggi, you’ll get the hang of a dash, and stir.
• Slice up your favorite fresh veggies, like cherry tomatoes, cukes, even beets, and a snip of fresh dill to the bowl, stir.
• Top the mixture with 4-6 handfuls of your favorite greens, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Toss well just before serving, the veggies will have marinated slightly in the ‘dressing’ and the greens will be fresh and crispy.

Try this recipe once and trust me, you may just make it a daily ritual.