Name: Macedonian Ladoxido (Λαδόξιδο)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: About 180ml, enough for 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 135ml extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil; 45ml good red-wine vinegar; 1 small garlic clove, lightly crushed, optional; 3g fine sea salt; 1g dried Greek oregano, rubbed between the fingers, optional; Freshly ground black pepper, optional

Question 1

How do you make Macedonian ladoxido?

Accepted Answer

Make Macedonian ladoxido by dissolving 3g fine sea salt in 45ml red-wine vinegar first, then adding 135ml extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil. Add lightly crushed garlic, rubbed dried Greek oregano, and black pepper if using. Shake in a tight-lidded jar or whisk hard for 20 seconds.

Question 2

Why do you dissolve the salt in vinegar before adding olive oil?

Accepted Answer

Dissolve the fine sea salt in red-wine vinegar before adding olive oil because salt dissolves cleanly in vinegar, not in oil. This first step gives Macedonian ladoxido an even, sharp flavor instead of leaving gritty salt crystals scattered through the finished dressing.

Question 3

What do you serve with Macedonian ladoxido?

Accepted Answer

Serve Macedonian ladoxido over boiled horta, white beans, cabbage salad, roasted peppers, grilled fish, or beets while the food is still warm. Warm vegetables and grilled foods absorb the Koroneiki olive oil and red-wine vinegar dressing better than cold food.

Question 4

Can I make ladoxido ahead of time?

Accepted Answer

Make ladoxido up to 3 days ahead without oregano for the cleanest flavor. Keep the oil-and-red-wine-vinegar dressing covered at room temperature for the day, or refrigerate it longer. If refrigerated, let the olive oil loosen at room temperature before shaking and serving.

Question 5

Should Macedonian ladoxido have oregano?

Accepted Answer

Use dried Greek oregano in Macedonian ladoxido for cabbage salad, white beans, roasted peppers, or grilled food. Leave oregano out when dressing delicate boiled greens such as horta, where the clean green taste should stay clear against the sharp red-wine vinegar and olive oil.

Question 6

How long should garlic sit in ladoxido?

Accepted Answer

Let lightly crushed garlic sit in Macedonian ladoxido for 5 minutes before serving, or add garlic no more than 30 minutes ahead. Remove the garlic before serving for the old table version. Garlic left too long overpowers the red-wine vinegar instead of gently perfuming it.

Culinary Explorer

Macedonian Ladoxido (Λαδόξιδο)

Ingredients

extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil

good red-wine vinegar

garlic clove (optional)

Where cooking meets culture.

Ingredient	Quantity
extra virgin Koroneiki olive oil	135ml
good red-wine vinegar	45ml
garlic clove (optional)lightly crushed	1 small