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Please share your recipes and tips for the perfect vinaigrette.

mandryka

mandryka

pfm Member
Sald days are here again.

Here's what I do -- so you can critique:

1. Pound a bit of garlic in a mortar with salt.
2. Add the best olive oil I can find. Always olive.
3. Add vinegar or lemon juice.
4. Add mustard - mixed Dijon, never powder.
5. Whip it up a bit with a fork.
6. Eat.

I am not happy because of the consistency -- I've not got the knack of creating a thick(ish) emulsion. I think mustard is the emulsifying agent -- should I use powder?

Should I shake it all about in a screw top jar? Should I add a bit of white wine or vermouth? Pale ale? Tea?

I'd be very interested to know if anyone has any good experiences adding things like anchovies and herbs of various kinds.

By the way, there was a fabulous French proverb I once heard about this -- something like, you need five people to make a vinaigrette: a strong man to pound the garlic, a spendthift to add the oil, a wise man to add the vinegar . . . can't remember the details.
 
The 1,3,4,2,5,6 is exactly as taught to me by a french maman and it’s what I always use. Her name was Chantalle so I’ve called it Chantalle’s Dressing ever since (even though I’d have preferred her to be undressing) Hers does produce an emulsion and thats how I like it because it coats the leaves really well but if you want it wetter you can always add a touch of water
 
I like a light vinaigrette.
Skip the garlic. Skip the mustard. 4 parts best olive oil, 1 part sherry vinegar. Very little salt (half a turn of salt mill), pepper optional. Mix thoroughly just before adding salad.

The French say never keep vinaigrette, and it has to be well blended. The Italians say you can keep it in your fridge for weeks and you should not blend the ingredients. Go figure.

If you have time:
- use a 3/4 sherry vinegar/1/4 balsamic mix for the vinegar component.
- add freshly chopped herbs: mixture of mint, chives, chervil, basil, tarragon, anything really.
 
mandryka said:
Sald days are here again.

Here's what I do -- so you can critique:

1. Pound a bit of garlic in a mortar with salt.
2. Add the best olive oil I can find. Always olive.
3. Add vinegar or lemon juice.
4. Add mustard - mixed Dijon, never powder.
5. Whip it up a bit with a fork.
6. Eat.

I am not happy because of the consistency -- I've not got the knack of creating a thick(ish) emulsion. I think mustard is the emulsifying agent -- should I use powder?

Should I shake it all about in a screw top jar? Should I add a bit of white wine or vermouth? Pale ale? Tea?

I'd be very interested to know if anyone has any good experiences adding things like anchovies and herbs of various kinds.

By the way, there was a fabulous French proverb I once heard about this -- something like, you need five people to make a vinaigrette: a strong man to pound the garlic, a spendthift to add the oil, a wise man to add the vinegar . . . can't remember the details.
Click to expand...


essentially your dressing is an emulsion of oil and vinegar (or lemon), anything else is there for flavour.


in a bowl
1) 15 ml vinegar
2) good pinch of salt dissolved in the vinegar
3) whisk in 1tbls of dijon mustard (note whisk not fork)
4) whisk in a grated or crushed clove of garlic
5) whisk in 60 to 75 ml of oil. We use a mixture of olive and rape seed oil. Pure olive can be too over powering

whisking is the key to emulsifying the oil and vinegar.

Yesterday we made a great lemon and garlic dressing. Used lemon instead of vinegar no mustard. 50:50 olive oil and rapeseed - drop of water. Whisking emulsifies the lemon/water and oils
 
gintonic said:
essentially your dressing is an emulsion of oil and vinegar (or lemon), anything else is there for flavour.


in a bowl
1) 15 ml vinegar
2) good pinch of salt dissolved in the vinegar
3) whisk in 1tbls of dijon mustard (note whisk not fork)
4) whisk in a grated or crushed clove of garlic
5) whisk in 60 to 75 ml of oil. We use a mixture of olive and rape seed oil. Pure olive can be too over powering

whisking is the key to emulsifying the oil and vinegar.

Yesterday we made a great lemon and garlic dressing. Used lemon instead of vinegar no mustard. 50:50 olive oil and rapeseed - drop of water. Whisking emulsifies the lemon/water and oils
Click to expand...

I shall order a mini whisk now!
 
PsB said:
I like a light vinaigrette.
Skip the garlic. Skip the mustard. 4 parts best olive oil, 1 part sherry vinegar. Very little salt (half a turn of salt mill), pepper optional. Mix thoroughly just before adding salad.

The French say never keep vinaigrette, and it has to be well blended. The Italians say you can keep it in your fridge for weeks and you should not blend the ingredients. Go figure.

If you have time:
- use a 3/4 sherry vinegar/1/4 balsamic mix for the vinegar component.
- add freshly chopped herbs: mixture of mint, chives, chervil, basil, tarragon, anything really.
Click to expand...

I’m not following this, how do the Italians keep it in their fridge unblended?

(You’ve prompted me to order some chervil plants! )
 
As above, crushed garlic turned to paste with rock salt, white balsamic or Apple cider vinegar with grape seed and olive oil, as said all else is flavour.
In a way getting the correct consistency of the emulsion is the most important part, I use a balloon whisk.
 
The most interesting vinaigrette I tried recently was standard recipe but with a lot of fresh chives blended into it. Flavour was sensational and perhaps more appropriate to dipping than dressing.
 
Put the ingredients in a jam jar or similar with a very tight lid and shake it as hard as you can to emulsify it. Exact ingredients depend entirely on taste. I use garlic and shallots, olive oil, some kind of wine vinegar depending on mood, a bit of dijon, sometimes a spoonful of honey.

Edit: I see I got in late with the jam jar tip. It works.
 
narabdela said:
No garlic here, and I use both lemon juice(very little) and balsamic vinegar.

Also do the jam jar boogie.
Click to expand...
Lemon juice is a good substitute for vinegar in salads with seafood, or if you're having really nice wines with your meal (some experts, e.g. Hugh Johnson, claim vinegar completely kills the palate).
 
As above in essence, but may add one or more of the following, according to mood
Honey
Indian shop garlic puree
Tarragon
Blue cheese
Smoked paprika
Ground black pepper
 
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