The infinite vinaigrette
September 20th, 2006
A vinaigrette is formulaic, its basic components usually 3 parts oil (olive, walnut, etc.) to 1 part acid (red wine vinegar, lemon juice, etc.), a little mustard to help the oil and vinegar mix, plus salt and pepper. Tasting helps you adjust the ratio each time.
Vinaigrettes are potent sources of taste and flavor. Oil, acid and salt stimulate three of five tastes the tongue detects: bitter (oil), sour (acid) and salty (salt). Diced relatives of the onion add sweetness and pungency. (When I have time, I let diced shallot or onion mellow in the acid for 15 minutes before adding the oil, a la Alice Waters’ suggestion in her book Chez Panisse Vegetables.) A touch of soy sauce, miso, ketchup or diced tomato can complete the taste spectrum by bringing umami and additional sweetness. Chopped herbs add lots of flavor.
I usually default to olive oil, champagne vinegar and lemon juice. But the beauty of thinking of vinaigrettes as a combination of set components is that it allows you the freedom to mix and match the components according to what’s in your refrigerator and pantry, which type of cuisine you’re aiming for and what kinds of tastes and flavors you’ll be dressing.
Once you know the formula, a quick whisk and drizzle can elevate an otherwise too-plain dish. Some good matches: asparagus with a lemon tarragon vinaigrette; grilled chicken with a miso vinaigrette; roasted pork loin with a rosemary balsamic vinaigrette. Once you’re comfortable with the formula, the combinations are endless.
September 26th, 2006 at 8:57 am
Wow, this was great. thanks for breaking it down brys.
February 19th, 2007 at 10:26 am
[…] I’ve always found it helpful to break down certain dishes (vinaigrettes, marinades, stews and soups) into formulas. Of course, formulas are overly simplified. But once you get the formula down, you can modify it according to the ingredients you have on hand, the type of cuisine you want to explore, the season, or your mood. […]
March 27th, 2007 at 10:35 am
[…] Our sap boiling experience this week got Elizabeth craving the Lady Killigrew’s house dressing, a soy-maple vinaigrette. They mix it into a field greens salad with finely chopped beets and carrots. (Some chopped nuts would add nice texture.) Having asked about the dressing a long time ago, we knew the basic ingredients, but they make the stuff in huge batches at the café. Brys wrote last fall about the formula for vinaigrettes. I played around with the recipe a little and came up with something that tasted a lot like what we get down the street. […]
April 11th, 2007 at 9:01 am
[…] The whole thing takes only 10 minutes to prepare, an hour or so to cook and then plenty of time to cool. It’s a perfect thing to make Friday morning before work so that you have a loaf to snack on for the weekend. It also goes well with roasted eggplant, sautéed collards or any simple green salad with a citrus vinaigrette. […]
October 1st, 2007 at 6:29 am
[…] The Infinite Vinaigrette –from CookThink […]
August 21st, 2008 at 2:20 pm
[…] A vinaigrette is formulaic, its basic components usually 3 parts oil (olive, walnut, etc.) to 1 part acid (red wine vinegar, lemon juice, etc.), a little mustard to help the oil and vinegar mix, plus salt and pepper. Tasting helps you adjust the ratio each time. Vinaigrettes are potent sources of taste and flavor. Oil, acid and salt stimulate three of five tastes the tongue detects: bitter (oil), sour (acid) and salty (salt). Diced relatives of the onion add sweetness and pungency. (When I have time, I let diced shallot or onion mellow in the acid for 15 minutes before adding the oil, a la Alice Waters’ suggestion in her book Chez Panisse Vegetables.) A touch of soy sauce, miso, ketchup or diced tomato can complete the taste spectrum by bringing umami and additional sweetness. Chopped herbs add lots of flavor. I usually default to olive oil, champagne vinegar and lemon juice. But the beauty of thinking of vinaigrettes as a combination of set components is that it allows you the freedom to mix and match the components according to what’s in your refrigerator and pantry, which type of cuisine you’re aiming for and what kinds of tastes and flavors you’ll be dressing. Once you know the formula, a quick whisk and drizzle can elevate an otherwise too-plain dish. Some good matches: asparagus with a lemon tarragon vinaigrette; grilled chicken with a miso vinaigrette; roasted pork loin with a rosemary balsamic vinaigrette. Once you’re comfortable with the formula, the combinations are endless. SOURCE __________________ Suzie […]