Basic Vinaigrette

August 14, 2008

I made a vinaigrette for the first time a few months ago and was surprised at how easy and delicious it was.  In its most basic form, a vinaigrette is an emulsion of oil and vinegar. My two favorite things about making my own vinaigrette are: 1) it is fast - literally a minute or two, and 2) you should always have the ingredients on hand, so you don’t need to buy anything special (unless you want a specially flavored one).

All you’ll need for this recipe is extra-virgin olive oil (other oils work too if you want a different flavor), some sort of acid (vinegars - red, white, apple cider - or lemon or lime juice), a little bit of Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.  I made a Meyer lemon vinaigrette.

For a small batch, mix together in a bowl a tablespoon of your acid, a half teaspoon or so of dijon mustard, and some salt and pepper.

Then, add about three tablespoons of your oil, pouring slowly and whisking the mixture as you go.  It want the oil drops suspended in the acid - your emulsion.  Taste it and add more salt or pepper if necessary.  Finally, just drizzle it over your salad or whatever else you are eating.

Tips

• Your mixture will separate again if it sits for too long.  If this happens, just re-whisk it and it should be ok.
• The important part of the recipe is the ratio of acid to oil.  Normally it is around 1 part acid to 3 or 4 parts oil, but feel free to alter it if you prefer it to taste a different way.
• You can leave out the Dijon mustard if you don’t have any.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. acid (balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice)
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (other oils work as well)
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Recipe

1. Mix the acid and Dijon mustard in a small bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Whisk in the olive oil slowly to create an emulsion.  When all of it is whisked in, taste and adjust seasoning.

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