Vinaigrette is one of those versatile kitchen must haves. Turn lettuce from bland to grand with a little vinaigrette. Take that steak from drab to fab with a little vinaigrette. Take your veggies from bland to bold with a splash of vinaigrette. And it’s such a basic recipe, one really can’t go wrong. A little oil, a little vinegar and a bit of salt and you’ve created a dressing to dress up just about anything. But if you go a step further and add one more ingredient to your vinaigrette, then you can really take it to a whole new level and have people asking where you got that amazing dressing.
How To Make The Perfect Homemade Vinaigrette
Since vinaigrette is such a basic two or three ingredient recipe you should really make those key ingredients top shelf ingredients. The basics of oil and vinegar must be in there to make it a vinaigrette. Once you have those two top shelf ingredients you can elevate it even more with a few simple to follow steps.
You need to have the right ratio of oil to vinegar. Too much of one and too little of the other will completely change the taste. The basic rule of them for the oil to vinegar ratio is 3:1. So three parts oil to one part vinegar. This isn’t always the way. If you’re looking for a more tart vinaigrette, then you’ll want more vinegar. For a milder taste more oil. If you completely confuse the ratio and do three parts vinegar to three parts oil, then you will know by your puckered mouth for next time that you got it backwards. You can always taste test your vinaigrette with a small piece of lettuce to make sure you have the right ratio.
If you’re wondering what oil to use, well the possibilities are endless. Really any vegetable oil or salad oil is best. If you want to use Olive Oil it’s best to make it Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Try all different kinds of oils to experiment with the taste of your vinaigrette. The oil possibilities are really endless.
When it comes to the vinegar you probably want to steer clear of the basic white vinegar. If you’re going to go for a white vinegar make it a white wine vinegar. For diversity try specialty vinegars like balsamic, sherry, or raspberry. For a fruity taste go for a cider vinegar. For an Asian flare try a rice vinegar.
Try This Turned Up Simple Vinaigrette Recipe
1. Mince 2 tablespoons shallots and add it to a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
2. To this you can add 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and whisk it all together.
3. Now it’s time to whisk in 6 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive oil. Whisk and pour in the oil at the same time to make a more creamy emulsified vinaigrette dressing.
4. You will have a fully emulsified vinaigrette when done with the oil and vinegar infused together. When your vinaigrette is broken you will see a clear separation between the oil and vinegar mixtures.
5. Allow to sit for 1-3 hours for the flavors to really meld. Whisk before serving.
6. Store in a covered container for 3-4 days.
Start with the basics for 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar and build on your flavors to create the perfect vinaigrette for whatever you need it for. Enjoy!
by Erica Sandwall | Comments Off on How To Make The Perfect Homemade Vinaigrette