Foolproof Vinaigrette
(from annie hall’s recipe box)
Total Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Active Cooking Time: 0 minutes
Make Ahead: Serve immediately
Yield: 1/4 cup, enough to dress 8 to 10 cups lightly packed greens
Difficulty: Easy
Vinaigrette may be the most useful sauce in any cook’s repertoire. In addition to dressing greens, vinaigrette can be used as sauce for chicken, fish, vegetables that have been grilled, poached, or steamed.
The ingredient list is short and method is simple. So what’s the problem? Basic vinaigrette doesn’t stay together. By the time you pour the dressing over greens and get the salad to the table, this emulsified sauce has broken and you end up with vinegary bites of salad and oily bites. We will show you how to make a foolproof vinaigrette that won’t break.
This vinaigrette works with nearly any type of greens but is especially well suited to mild, tender greens. For a hint of garlic flavor, rub the inside of the salad bowl with a clove of garlic before adding the greens.
Master the technique and you can change the vinegars, the oils, and the seasonings to create dozens of dressing. This recipe yields enough dressing for 8 to 10 cups of lightly packed greens, enough for four generous portions of salad.
http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/learn-to-cook/2013/02/foolproof-vinaigrette-in-3-easy-steps/
Source: America's Test Kitchen Online Cooking School (from RecipeThing user Bethany)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon wine vinegar (red, white, or champagne) (Each type of wine vinegar contributes a different (but delicious) flavor to this recipe. Pay more attention to the quality of the vinegar (only the best will do in this simple dressing) than the type of vinegar.)
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons very finely minced shallots (Shallots have a unique flavor that is milder and more delicate than that of onions, and, of course, they are also much smaller than most onions. A raw shallot will add gentle heat to a vinaigrette, with a minimum of crunch. A
- 1/2 Teaspoon regular or light mayonnaise (The mayonnaise is the emulsifier in this recipe and it’s fine to use either regular or light mayonnaise. We don’t recommend non-fat mayonnaise in any recipe.)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅛ Teaspoon table salt
- ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (The flavor of good extra-virgin olive oil is essential in this vinaigrette; don’t use anything else.)
Directions
-
Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain.
-
Place 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. (You can also use a small bowl.) Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface.
-
Step By Step – 1. Mince 1 shallot to yield 1 1/2 teaspoons. 2. Combine 1 tablespoon vinegar, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. 3. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain. 4. Place 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. (You can also use a small bowl.) 5. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into vinegar mixture. 6. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. 7. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface.