THE MAKING OF A VINAIGRETTE

Serves: 8

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THE MAKING OF A VINAIGRETTE

Ready in: 30 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Knowing how to make a vinaigrette always comes in handy. It's something that can be made in seconds with pantry basics and it tastes so much better and fresher than bottled dressing.

Ingredients

BASIC VINAIGRETTE:

• 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Pinch of sugar or 1/2 teaspoon of honey
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. The basic ratio for vinaigrette is one part vinegar to three parts oil, although if you substitute something less acidic like lemon juice for the vinegar, you'll want to lessen the oil accordingly. As with anything else, you'll get the best results if you use the highest quality ingredients.
2. You'll need both hands or in my culinary opinion, only one finger (to touch the button on the blender!) to make a vinaigrette. I like to place the vinegar and seasonings in the blender, then turn it on and slowly drizzle in the oil to create an emulsified dressing. You can make it by hand using a mixing bowl and a whisk, but try to stabilize the bowl using a towel wrapped around the base of the bowl for stability, as you will need to whisk and pour the oil at the same time.
3. Add a small amount of Dijon mustard or a roasted garlic clove, which acts as an emulsifying agent, will help you bind together the oil and vinegar. Be sure to pour the oil in a slow, steady stream to resist breaking (the act of the vinegar and oil separating). But above all things, be sure to experiment with this basic vinaigrette by changing the type of oil or vinegar, or by enhancing the dressing with other ingredients like herbs, shallots or citrus zest. It can be tossed with salad greens, drizzled over grilled vegetables, mixed into a pasta salad, used to finish a fish dish or used as a dipper for veggies.

VARIATIONS:

1. Garlic: Add 2 roasted garlic cloves (for a more subtle garlic flavor than using raw)
2. Balsamic: Substitute balsamic vinegar for the wine vinegar
3. Lemon Parmesan: Use fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar and add 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan.
4. Herb: Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs; thyme, parsley or tarragon.
5. Blue Cheese: Add 1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese.

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