Quick and Easy Vinaigrettes for Any Occasion
How to Make Salad Vinaigrettes from Scratch
Jan 29, 2009
Vinaigrettes are one of the most versatile weapons in a home cook's arsenal. A well-balanced vinaigrette can transform even the most basic of salads from dreary to sublime. Yet many home cooks are intimidated by the thought of making their own vinaigrettes from scratch. So is it possible to create restaurant-quality vinaigrettes in the comfort of your own home?
The Secret to Easy and Flavorful Vinaigrettes
The secret to making tasty vinaigrettes is combining basic ingredients in perfect proportions. Remember, more ingredients doesn't necessarily mean you'll end up with a better vinaigrette. Too many flavors can actually overwhelm the palate. Focus instead on using the best ingredients you can find. Invest in good olive oil and vinegar and you can create vinaigrettes that rival anything you'd find at a great restaurant.
Basic Vinaigrette Recipe
High-quality vinaigrettes can be made with less than five ingredients. If you can remember the basic proportion of 1-1-3, you can master the art of making the perfect vinaigrette. The recipe below makes enough dressing for several salads, but feel free to adjust the quantities as needed. As long as you maintain the correct proportion of ingredients, you can make as much or as little vinaigrette as you please.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (you can substitute any type of vinegar: balsamic, white wine, raspberry, champagne, etc.)
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil (you can substitute grapeseed oil, walnut oil, or even truffle oil if you're feeling fancy)
- 1 tbsp. good Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Add the minced garlic clove to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the mustard and vinegar to the bowl; whisk the ingredients together until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper (remember you can always add more seasoning if needed once the oil has been added).
- Continue whisking the mixture and begin slowly adding the olive oil.
- Taste the mixture after you've added about half of the olive oil.
- Keep adding oil in small increments until the vinaigrette tastes right to you. The flavor should be acidic but not sour, and not too oily. The best way to test the dressing is to sample it with a piece of lettuce.
Notes:
If you are not a big fan of raw garlic in your dressing, either omit the garlic or simply crush the clove with a knife and add it whole to the vinaigrette mixture. You can remove the whole clove before serving and it will give the dressing just a hint of garlic flavor. The Dijon mustard can also be omitted from the recipe, but keep in mind the mustard helps bind the ingredients, giving the vinaigrette a creamy texture.
Variations on the Basic Vinaigrette Recipe
The best part about making vinaigrettes from scratch is that you can experiment with ingredients to add your own personal touch. Here are just a few of the different types of vinaigrettes you can create with simple modifications to the basic recipe:
- Lemon vinaigrette: Substitute lemon juice for the vinegar.
- Balsamic vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar.
- Asian vinaigrette: Replace olive oil with sesame oil and replace red wine vinegar with rice wine vinegar.
- Fresh herb vinaigrette: Replace garlic with fresh herbs of your choice.
- Roasted garlic vinaigrette: Add 2-3 roasted garlic cloves to the basic vinaigrette recipe.
 |
