A vinaigrette is nothing more than oil and vinegar blended together to form a temporary emulsion. There are as many ways to create and flavor a vinaigrette as there are stars in the sky. The traditional French recipe is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, seasoned with fresh herbs, garlic, salt and pepper.
I like my vinaigrette with a little more “bite” and a little less oil. I use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I also have a few other “standard” ingredients, and some ideas on how to whip up a number of variations.
One rule of thumb: always taste your vinaigrette for balance with a piece of lettuce, and not your finger. Lettuce is low on the Ph scale and will cut the sharpness of the vinaigrette. Try it yourself. Taste your vinaigrette first with your finger, then with a piece of lettuce. Notice a difference?
Chef Gwen’s Basic Vinaigrette
Makes 3/4 cup (enough for 6-8 servings)
Ingredients
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs (parsley, chives, rosemary, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Method
1. Whisk first 8 ingredients together (or whirl in a blender).
2. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, mixing until mixture thickens. Taste and adjust seasonings. Will keep, covered, up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.
Variations: Try different vinegars, like cider, raspberry, white wine vinegar, sherry, etc. Use different combinations of herbs, including mint (really nice with raspberry vinegar). Use different oils, like hazelnut or walnut, but only replace up to half of the olive oil. For example, use 1/4 cup of walnut oil and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Some of the nut oils are too strong and overpowering to use as the sole oil.
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