Making your own homemade salad dressing saves you money and waste.
Once you know how, the possibilities are only limited by your imagination!
I learned to make vinaigrette from Madame Bailey, a wonderful French lady I had the pleasure of living with during a homestay I did in France some years ago. She was an excellent cook and served salad every night with our meal, as they do in the South of France. She always made a homemade vinaigrette for our salads. No bottled stuff on her dinner table, and thanks to her, not on mine either.
It is simple to do. Here’s how.
Basic vinaigrette
(makes 1 cup)
What you’ll need.
¼ cup white-wine vinegar 1 tbs Dijon mustard ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and Pepper to taste
What to do.
In a small jar with a tight lid add the vinegar, mustard, oil and shake vigorously. This is a simple way to emulsify the ingredients, which is important when making vinaigrette.
Alternatively, you can whisk together the vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking as you go. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Vinaigrette variations.
Here are some simple variations to the basic vinaigrette recipe
Balsamic – substitute balsamic vinegar for the white-wine vinegar
Balsamic and Honey – substitute balsamic vinegar for white-wine vinegar and add 1 tsp of honey
Blue cheese – crumble ¼ - ½ cup of blue cheese into vinaigrette
Fresh Herbs – Add about 2 tbs of chopped fresh herbs, like parsley or tarragon
