The Salad Days
As I write this, it is a chilly 29°F. It snowed on Friday, froze to ice rink hardness on Saturday, and melted on Sunday. This does nothing to dissuade me from the idea that people should only live whe...
Vinaigrettes are an amazing thing. As long as you have very simple pantry ingredients, you can literally make hundreds of different types of them. The key is to be willing to experiment, and to be willing to make completely awful ones occasionally. I am going to show you a basic balsamic vinaigrette; a staple and a crowd pleaser. It’s very simple and the technique is a building block for all vinaigrettes. I buy whole peeled garlic and whole peeled shallots and chop them up. Everything should be fresh if you can do that. If not, freeze dried. Otherwise, dried is ok, but use sparingly.
Oils I keep on hand: vegetable oil (usually Wesson, very neutral flavor profile), olive oil, sesame oil and bacon fat.
Vinegars I keep on hand: balsamic, white balsamic, red wine, rice wine, sherry and apple cider.
Other flavors to have handy: soy sauce, sriracha, chili paste, ginger paste, lemongrass paste and sun-dried tomatoes.
Any other fresh ingredients you should buy as you need them. Basil, fresh herbs, fresh ginger, fresh lemon, dill. Consider planting an herb garden so you have access to the freshest herbs all the time.
The base of the vinaigrette always remains the same: honey, Dijon mustard, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper. From there the sky is the limit. The order is important. Make the base, add the acids, emulsify in the oils, herbs last. Taste, always taste and adjust. If you want a creamy dressing add 1 egg with the acid. The egg will emulsify and eventually the acid will “set” the egg and make it shelf stable.
The entire process can be done quickly and efficiently. About 20 minutes start to finish. When you are whisking the oil in put a damp cloth under the bowl so it doesn’t wobble away on you. You can use a blender or hand mixer if you like but it is not necessary.
Remember to experiment with your ingredients. Have fun.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallot
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1½ cups oil (blend of ½ cup olive oil and 1 cup vegetable oil)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme and chives)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1. In mixing bowl whisk together honey, mustard, garlic and shallot. Add vinegar and whisk to combine.
2. In your dominant hand hold the whisk and in the other hand the oil. While vigorously whisking, slowly add the oil in a stream. This should take a minute to a minute and a half or so. When finished the mixture should have a brown hue and be the consistency of a thick sauce.
3. Add herbs, salt and pepper.
4. Taste. Adjust as necessary.
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