Vinaigrette

100 Recipes by America's Test Kitchen (#4 p18)

One serving is 2 c greens dressed with 1 T vinaigrette, but start with less. You can always add more vinaigrette.

High quality ingredients are crucial here.

The essential vinaigrette is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil. Whisking just those two ingredients will create an emulsion that quickly breaks and tastes harsh. Mustard is traditionally added because it is an emulsifier, though it is a weak one, so you have to use so much that the vinaigrette will taste strongly of mustard. Here we use a bit of mayonnaise. Egg yolks contain emulsifiers, which lets us keep the amount of mustard in check.


				Whisk in small bowl until milky and no lumps of mayo remain.
	1	T	wine vinegar
	1/2	t	Dijon mustard
	1/2	t	mayonnaise, regular or light
	1 1/2	t	minced shallot
	1/8	t	salt
			pepper to taste

				Place in measuring cup so it's easy to pour. Drizzling slowly, whisk into vinegar, glossy and lightly thickened.
	3	T	extra-virgin olive oil

	Refrigerate for 2 weeks. Rewhisk before using.
Variation: Lemon Vinaigrette
				Substitute lemon juice for wine vinegar. Omit shallot.
	1	T	lemon juice
	1/4	t	finely grated lemon zest
	1	pinch	sugar.
Lemon vinaigrette works best with mild greens.

Variation: Balsamic-Mustard Vinaigrette
				Use balsamic vinegar. Increase mustard. Add thyme.
	1	T	balsamic vinegar
	2	t	Dijon mustard
	1/2	t	minced thyme
Balsamic-mustard vinaigrette works best with assertive greens.

Variation: Walnut Vinaigrette
				Substitute for extra-virgin olive oil.
	1 1/2	T	roasted walnut oil
	1 1/2	T	regular olive oil
Variation: Herb Vinaigrette
				Add just before using.
	1	T	minced parsley or chives
	1/2	t	minced thyme, tarragon, marjoram, or oregano